Modern Persuasion
by Ferdy 63
Summary: A modern southern twist on one of my favorite books of all time "Persuasion" by Jane Austen. Hope you enjoy. I would love feedback/constructive criticism. Also just wanted to say to anyone confused by the skip between part 2 and 3, I accicdentally left out a part but have it corrected now. Hopefully it makes more sense and thanks for following this story.
1. Chapter 1

The Elliots of Savannah were a well established "old family". Kelly Hall, their antebellum mansion, had been built prior to the Civil War and had been maintained in near pristine condition. Mr. Walter, the current patriarch of the family, was a proud man. He loved looking up his family home on the national registry of historic places and hearing his name called out on arriving at cotillions, "Mr. Walter Elliot of Savannah". In his own mind, he was as close to royalty as most uneducated Americans (especially the mostly redneck population of the South) would ever get.

He was as fastidious in his dress and personal grooming as he was fanatical about his family history. There was never an excuse for a southern gentleman to appear unkempt or disheveled. Any task which required one to perspire was for laborers. He expected his family to follow his example in this fashion and for the most part they did.

His wife had passed nearly 15 years ago but she had been a lovely genteel Southern lady.

He felt that their match had been a most advantageous one since she had also brought a nice inheritance into the Kelly Hall coiffers along with being an ideal companion for dinners and parties. Everyone had always spoken of what a lovely couple they made.

Before her death, his wife had provided him with 3 daughters, Elizabeth, Anne and Mary.

They were all now grown up and Mary was a married woman with children of her own.

Elizabeth was just past thirty but still as pretty as her mother. She attended Mr. Walter now whenever invitations arose. Her beauty and style were always spoken highly of which made her his definite favorite among the girls. Mary, the youngest, wasn't as pretty as Elizabeth but she had always known how to make the best of her looks and especially how to use her feminine sensibilities to gain attention. That was how she had snared young Charlie Musgrove right out of college. Why Mary had seen fit to pop out two young ruffian boys within 3 years was beyond his understanding but at least she was settled. Anne was another matter entirely.

Anne had always been a bookish girl. She was dark where her sisters were fair. Her temperament was sweet but tended toward quieter pursuits like reading. She didn't care much for parties or crowds and detested even the idea of high fashion. No one had been surprised when she earned her doctorate in English Literature by the time she was 25 and now at 28, she was a full professor at Dalton University in Atlanta. She preferred hiking and camping like some primitive animal to social events. He tried not to speak of her whenever possible but at least he had her academic achievement to boast of if any mention of her were absolutely necessary.

Life at Kelly Hall had continued in much the same manner for most of Mr. Walter's life. He had his job at the law firm (which had always been mostly a figurehead position), his hobbies and his social calendar. Elizabeth had become indispensable to him as his sort of social secretary throughout the years since his wife had died. She answered every invitation and arranged all the Kelley Hall parties to perfection. He sometimes wondered how it was that she was still single despite being such an obviously superior lady but honestly there could be very few men who would deserve such a wife.

Mr. Walter, as he was generally known around Savannah, usually had very little in the way of troubling thoughts. Worry caused one to develop wrinkles and creases so he tried to avoid it whenever possible. Lately, however, bills had been mounting at Kelly Hall. After the hurricane a few years back, some extensive repairs had to be done to the roof and windows. Then there were the real estate taxes that had to be paid. And, of course, there were always new charges to the credit cards for new clothing, shoes and small luxuries for himself and Elizabeth. He was finding it difficult to keep up minimum payments and he could tell that the stress was already affecting his appearance. He decided that he needed to consult with his neighbor and old family friend, Lydia Russell.

Lydia had been his wife's best friend and had been godmother to their girls. She had always been a sensible but never unfashionable woman. She would surely have some advice. He invited her over for an afternoon tea. Even though in her early 60's, Lydia could easily pass for 10 years younger. She had learned that tiny tweaks at the plastic surgeon's office every year or so were very effective and weren't so drastic as to cause talk among the ladies in town. She like to appear to be aging gracefully but, in fact, she fought it in every way she could. Her hair was kept tinted to a light golden color with tiny streaks of silvery white blonde added so that it looked natural but better. Her clothes were designer and custom fitted and she worked out daily to keep herself trim. Many people wondered why Mr. Walter had not pursued her after his wife died but, in truth, Lydia was thankful that he had not. He was not her type at all and could, in fact, be quite annoying. If it hadn't been for the girls, especially Anne, she was sure that they would have had very little contact through the last 15 years.

It came as no surprise to Lydia that the Elliots were in dire financial straits. She had tried throughout the past few years to warn Mr. Walter and Elizabeth to start being more prudent in their spending but they had either ignored her or declared such sacrifices to be impossible to live with. It did surprise her how much debt had been accumulated. She empathized with Mr. Walter's plight and told him she would think about it for a few days and see if she could come up with any possible solutions other than the horrid thought of having to sell the family home.

Lydia's first thought was that she had to contact Anne and apprise her of the situation. Anne was the only truly sensible member of the Elliot clan. Between the two of them, they could surely come up with some way to help straighten out the financial affairs of the family. Anne was like her mother in many ways, although not as obviously pretty as her dear mother had been. There had always been a special bond between them. Anne had turned to her as a mother figure for advice and comfort throughout her adolescent years. She had always tried to steer her in the right direction and now she was the youngest full professor in the state, looked to as an authority on Victorian English Literature by scholars from all over the nation. Anne still had not found her Mr. Right but there was plenty of time for that.

She still shuddered to think what could have happened if Anne had married that young film student who had proposed to her when she was only 19. He was a penniless bum in Lydia Russell's opinion who had been beneath Anne in every way. Even though Anne had been quite smitten with the young man at that time, she had known that Lydia was doing what was best for her by separating them. The young man (what was his name – Frederick Whitworth or something like that) had taken it very hard and been angry with both herself and Anne. Then he had simply disappeared from Savannah and as far as she knew had never contacted Anne again. Of course, it had been difficult for Anne as well. She had spent over a year grieving for the boy. She had gotten over it, though, and moved on splendidly. Lydia Russell was quite proud of her involvement in that near fiasco.

She telephoned Anne later in the evening to discuss the situation of her father's finances.

Anne seemed to have expected as much. She agreed that they would try and figure out a way to save Kelley Hall if at all possible. With their two heads working on the problem, surely a solution could be found. She chatted with Anne about her job and when she might be coming home for a visit and ended the call thoroughly satisfied that she had done all that she could for the day to fulfill her obligations to the Elliots.

Chapter 2

Anne had been sipping a glass of white wine and grading essays when Lydia Russell called. Hearing of her father's financial difficulties wasn't a shock. In fact, she had wondered how he had kept it all afloat for years. He spent money like water and the house was over 100 years old and constantly needing various repairs. On top of that, they lived in the highest property tax district in Savannah. She had always been a little ashamed of her father's attitudes about money and privilege. He cared more about keeping up the appearance of being Southern royalty than taking care of his responsibilities. She had promised, however, to work with Lydia in trying to come up with a plan. She hung up the phone feeling frustrated and angry. Her father wouldn't want her help and would, in all likelihood, eschew any ideas she proposed. She would have to enlist Aunt Lydia's aid.

Aunt Lydia was as much a part of the Elliot family as any blood relation and more of a true aunt than any of the other Elliots had ever been. Anne had turned to her at the age of 12 when her mother died. Lydia had been her protector, comforter and adviser for many years – the person she could turn to when life at home got too lonely or overwhelming. She knew that her father and sisters mostly looked on her with pity and resentment because she was so different from them, but Aunt Lydia had always welcomed her with open arms and seen the good in her. Perhaps that's why her good opinion had always been so important to Anne in her younger years. It was only after the ordeal with Frederick Wentworth that Anne realized she had to learn to listen to her own heart. Lydia might want what was best for her but she wasn't always right.

Freddie had been her first real love. They'd met in her freshman year of college. He was attending Atlanta Arts University and she Dalton University. He was a couple of years older. He had joined the Army for 2 years to be able to afford college and worked as a waiter to pay expenses while he was taking classes. He had come from a blue collar family but had big dreams of becoming a film maker and directing blockbuster movies in Hollywood. His excitement about the future was captivating. He made her believe that anything was possible in a world where everyone else had always made her believe her life had to be within certain boundaries. For 3 months he had been her world and she his. At the end of that Spring quarter, Freddie had been accepted to film school at UCLA. It was all he'd ever wanted. She had resigned herself to him leaving and then one night he'd gotten down on one knee and proposed, saying he couldn't leave her behind. He needed her. She had, at first, agreed but her family and most importantly, Lydia had called her home and barraged her with nothing but negativity – how marriages at such a young age could never last, what would they live on, how she was giving up her dream for his, and on and on. She fought back and declared that she loved Freddie. She had every intention of marrying him and moving to California.

On the night before she was to return to school and to Freddie, Lydia came to her room. She sat on the bed and held Anne's hand. With tears in her eyes, she talked to Anne about her mother. She told her that her mother had always known that Anne was special and would do great things in her life. Anne was soon in tears as well. Finally, she said, "Anne, your mother would be so disappointed with this choice you're making." It broke Anne's heart and her resolve as was intended. She called Freddie and told him that she had changed her mind, that they were too young and it was too impetuous. He was hurt, of course, and then angry. "Your family got to you, didn't they? I'm not good enough for them! That's it, isn't it? You let them change your mind!" Anne could barely speak much less respond intelligently to his charges and he was right. Everything he said was the truth. He wouldn't understand about her mother's wishes. It was better, she decided, that he was angry. He would leave with no regrets and go on to UCLA and live out his dreams.

She didn't return to school until the next Fall and all her focus and energy went into studying. People marveled at how quickly she earned her degrees but they didn't know what was driving her. She poured all her heartache over Frederick and her passion to do justice to her mother's memory into her studies. She had no social life, took no breaks or vacations because there was no on who wanted to see her anyway. Lydia would visit every few months but otherwise Anne lived, ate and slept literature. It was only after she received her doctorate that she realized she had to develop some type of outside interest so she'd taken up hiking and rock climbing. It was just one more thing for her family to dislike about her but she didn't care. She took the first job offered her which happened to be at her alma mater and tried to go on with her life.

To everyone else, Anne seemed a basically happy, if slightly shy person. She worked hard to make them believe that to be true. In fact, she felt more like half a person. Ever since Frederick had left, there had been something or more precisely someone missing in her life. She had kept up with his career through the internet and magazines. He had graduated and was already becoming a talked about young director. His last movie had been nominated for quite a few awards. He had accomplished everything he'd set out to do. He still wasn't married but was often shown in pictures with a supermodel or young actress on his arm at red carpet events. Giving him up had been the biggest mistake of her life. She'd known it almost from the moment that last phone call had ended but couldn't admit it to herself until years later. Never were there two people more perfect together than they had been. She would never know that kind of happiness again and had resigned herself to that fact. Still, though, she could live a full life and be content. That was something.

Her mind drifted back and forth from grading to essays to the problems her father was having. How could she help him come up with enough money to satisfy their creditors and how could she prevent him from falling into this same pit again? It would take a miracle to save Kelly Hall. She vowed to spend some time researching it tomorrow but had to refocus her attention on the essays.

Chapter 3

Anne had an early class the next morning and it was midafternoon before she found some quiet time to do some research. Her first searches turned up lots of law firms who did bankruptcy filings. "That," she thought, "will never do for Mr. Walter Elliot." Then she remembered how her father was always bragging about their home being on the Historic Homes Registry. Maybe that would help secure some type of loan or grant, she thought, so she searched for information. There was nothing of particular interest until Anne noticed the subject line for one of the search results. It said, "Historic Antebellum Home Sought for Sparkman Movie". She clicked for more details. It seemed Stephen Sparkman was producing and directing a new movie based on a recent best selling Civil War novel. He'd scouted a few cities but hadn't found exactly what he wanted so he was asking interested parties to send him pictures and information about homes that were available for location shooting. No specific amount was mentioned but the article did say that owners of the prospective locations would be well compensated. "What could it hurt?" she thought as she filled out the information and attached pictures of their house from the historic registry page.

Anne continued her teaching duties and had a couple of long talks with her father by phone attempting to get him to cut back on expenditures at least until his current debt was settled. He, of course, insisted that they were already cutting back on any non-essential items. How could they be expected to do without their favorite imported coffee? Also, it took a minimum of 3 people on their household staff to keep the home and grounds in immaculate condition. Did Anne expect them to do the cleaning themselves? And, of course, he and Elizabeth had to get new clothes for the Summer Rose Cotillion. He could not represent Kelly Hall in last year's tuxedo. Anne's frustration level grew with each call but her father would not budge. She began to think it would come down to having to sell her beloved home.

The information Anne had sent to Sparkman Studios had completely slipped her mind until she received a large envelope with the Sparkman logo emblazoned on the upper left corner. She ripped into it and began scanning the letter, "Received your info and pictures…house looks like a possible match for our needs….would like to come and do a tour…..please give us a call…." Anne was stunned. This might be at least a partial solution to their financial dilemma but only if she could convince her father to do it.

A quick call to Aunt Lydia and they began scheming up ways to make the idea appealing to him. It didn't take long until they had a plan. Anne would come home for a visit on the following weekend and they would put their plot to the test.

After dinner on Saturday, the family, Mr. Walter, Elizabeth, and Anne with Lydia Russell in attendance sat in the drawing room having coffee. They had been discussing trivial matters when Lydia casually mentioned that it would be wonderful if more people had the opportunity to see the true beauty of Kelly Hall and its historical significance. "You know, if we could get it featured on HGTV or a documentary on the Civil War or even in a movie, it would give the world a chance to appreciate how well you've preserved this piece of history,"Lydia commented. Mr. Walter's brow furrowed, an unusual occurrence, "Hmm, I don't know….it seems so common, being on television…they let anyone do those reality TV shows. I just don't know." Anne immediately chimed in, "I completely agree with you Father. It would be tragic to allow cameras into our ancestral home. I would feel violated." Lydia immediately took up her part, "Oh, but, Anne, we would make sure that it's done tastefully and respectfully. Just think of how famous Kelly Hall and the Elliot name could become." Her father was, as expected, quick to agree with Mrs. Russell, "Oh, Anne, you are so unsociable. Of course it would be done with decorum. I would welcome an opportunity for the old Hall to be showcased." Elizabeth, sitting perched like a sparrow on the edge of chair added, "Do you think we could meet anyone famous? Maybe even be invited to Hollywood parties?" Her father perked up even more, "Ooh, wouldn't that be thrilling!"

It was time to spring the trap. "Well, I have heard that the director Mr. Sparkman who did that wonderful movie about the Holocaust, he won the Academy Award you know, is looking for a Civil War home to use in his next movie. They were discussing it on Good Morning Savannah the other day. I'm sure everyone who lives in the historic district is trying to get their house picked so it would probably be a waste of time to even check into it but I can try if you'd like," Lydia remarked in an offhand manner. She knew he wouldn't be able to resist the idea of beating out his neighbors to have his house picked to be in a possible Oscar winning movie. He tried to seem blasé but quickly answered, "I don't see what it would hurt to just inquire. Do you Elizabeth? I mean it would be good for the whole community." Elizabeth quickly agreed with her father (she rarely did otherwise) and so Lydia agreed to check into it for them. Their plot had worked and neither would ever know that it was Anne who had set the whole thing in motion.

Chapter 4

Anne turned the project over to Aunt Lydia so that her involvement would not taint the process for her father and sisters. She heard from them that appointments had been made. Location scouts had visited with cameras and video equipment. She tried to act completely uninterested although it was exciting and made her feel hopeful for a change. She focused on finishing up her Spring quarter classes. She wasn't working Summer quarter and had already promised to spend two weeks with Mary who constantly complained about how overworked and under appreciated she was. Anne was sure she'd be spending the majority of those 2 weeks babysitting her nephews but she didn't mind. It was a change of pace and they could be so sweet sometimes.

Finally the last exams were marked and grades were posted. Anne put her mail on hold and packed a small bag for the stay at Mary's home just outside Savannah. She also packed her hiking and climbing gear because she planned to drive north and spend some time on the Appalachian Trail later after her family visits.

She heard officially from Elizabeth that Sparkman had chosen their home for his next movie. She and father were beside themselves with excitement and all the neighbors were terribly envious. And, they were paying them a small fortune to rent out the entire house and grounds for 3 months and possibly longer. It would clear all the property tax they owed and about half their credit card debt. Of course, they'd have to move out for those 3 months but they had rented a nice townhouse on Tybee Island for that period so it wouldn't be a hardship. They still didn't know if they would meet Mr. Sparkman but were hoping to.

Anne was happy for them. She knew that it not only helped greatly with the financial difficulties but it also gave her father and Elizabeth an instant society boost being associated with a Hollywood director. She, however, wanted to stay as far away from the whole mess as possible.

Mary and Charlie Musgrove lived in a modern 3000 sq. ft home with a double car garage and a large pool in back. The house sat on land which was part of the farm owned by Charlie's parents. Mr. and Mrs. Musgrove were the two of the friendliest people Anne had ever met. Charlie was their oldest and they had two daughters, Louisa and Henrietta (who preferred to be called Henna). The whole family was fun loving and open hearted. Anne truly enjoyed their company. She was hoping to spend some time with them during her visit with Mary.

She arrived at her sister's house to find Mary prostrate on the couch with a migraine and the two boys squabbling over Legos while a Spongebob cartoon played loudly in the background. She stopped the squabble, fed the boys their lunch and then sent them to their rooms so she could talk with Mary for a while. "Honestly," her sister whined, "I can't understand how Charlie can just leave me when I'm so ill. He knows how wild these boys are and I am so weak I can barely stand." Anne commiserated with her sister and promised to help her out over the next couple of weeks. Mary was soon up and feeling hungry so Anne made them both tuna salad sandwiches and iced tea.

Just as they finished lunch, Louisa and Henna drove up. They had seen Anne's car in the driveway from their house and couldn't wait to come and say hello. They had both grown up quite a bit since last year. Louisa was a college freshman and Henna a sophomore. Both were attending the Univ. of Georgia in Athens and were home for the summer. There were hugs and a lot of chatter all around with a few negative interjections by Mary. Anne ended up promising to come to "the big house" for dinner that evening with Charlie, Mary and the boys. The girls left for a trip into town leaving Mary and Anne alone again. Anne commented on how grown up the girls were and Mary replied, "Oh, yes, the Misses Musgrove think they're all that since they're attending UGA now. It's really annoying. They hardly ever come by here anymore – too busy with their friends and parties. Not that I care, of course." Anne smiled and changed the subject. She knew all too well why the girls didn't visit Mary and it was the same reason that she only made the trip once a year. Mary was a whiner. She complained incessantly about everything and used her rowdy young sons as an excuse for being exhausted or too ill to participate in any planned activities. She was a lot like father and Elizabeth, spoiled and petulant. With the Musgroves, however, she wasn't coddled or fussed over. It often proved to be quite amusing to Anne although Mary would be enraged and usually took it out on poor Charlie.

Anne ended up spending the rest of the afternoon in the pool with her nephews so that their Mom could nap. She was actually having fun and so were the boys. They loved spending time with Auntie Anne. Charlie showed up around 5:30 and was his usual happy good ole boy self. He gave Anne a big bear hug and told her how glad he was that she had come for a visit. Anne knew that it was mostly due to the fact that she would be giving him a short break from the burden of Mary's constant complaints. She didn't mind, though. She'd always liked Charlie and had even gone out with him once before he had met Mary. He definitely wasn't her type but he was a good man.

They got the boys settle with a babysitter and headed over to the Musgrove's for dinner.

Anne was excited to see her old friends and they were as delighted to have her as a guest again. They were all catching up on the happenings in each other's lives over the past year when Louisa suddenly blurted out, "Oh my goodness, I forgot to tell you. While we were in town today, everyone was talking about the movie they're making at Kelly Hall and you'll never guess who's going to be directing it as well as renting a house only a few miles from here. Anne was thinking to herself, "Stephen Sparkman. I'm the one who set this all up," but she didn't want to ruin Louisa's surprise. After waiting a moment to build suspense, Louisa squealed, "It's Fred Wentworth, the hot young director who won the Golden Globe last year. We googled him and he is a total hottie. Oh, AND I have it on good authority that he is renting the ranch that the Coleman's used to own for himself and the crew to stay in while they're filming. You know that's only like 5 miles from here. Can we invite him to dinner, Dad? Please. It would be so cool to have dinner with a famous Hollywood director."

For a moment, Anne lost focus on what was being said. After she'd heard Freddie's name, it had all become a blur. Was it possible? Could it be that he was coming back to Savannah? It was like an old scar on her heart had been ripped open. She couldn't breathe. Charles, who was sitting next to her, noticed her discomfort and asked if she was feeling alright. "Just too much sun today, I think," she lied. No one other than her father, Elizabeth and Aunt Lydia knew about her previous relationship with Fred Wentworth and she would keep it that way.

Her world slowly came back into focus in time to hear Mr. Musgrove exclaiming that, of course, they would have to invite Mr. Wentworth over for dinner which led to squeals of delight from Louisa, Henna and even Mary. "According to everyone we spoke to, he and the crew are moving in tomorrow. They ordered food and rented furniture to be delivered today. Let's make a neighborly visit tomorrow, Hen, and invite him over," Louisa declared with a twinkle in her eye. Henna was instantly in agreement, "We could invite him for Friday and have a BBQ." Mrs. Musgrove liked the idea and they were soon all heads together including Mary planning the event.

Anne tried acting excited but in fact was terrified. Would she have to see Freddie again? What would she say? How would he feel? She couldn't do it. She'd have to come up with an excuse. She couldn't face him after what she'd done to him and she didn't want him to see the dowdy college professor she'd become. She'd rather that he remembered her young and full of optimism even if that meant she'd never have real closure on their relationship. Yes, she would definitely have to come down with a migraine or stomach virus on the day of the barbeque to avoid contact with him and then she'd be gone in another week so she could avoid any contact.

The trio of Charlie, Mary and Anne left for home around midnight. Anne sat up long after everyone else had gone to bed. Her mind raced with thoughts of Freddie laughing, Freddie kissing her, Freddie proposing. Though she had thought that such memories were buried in her past, she could still remember how his lips felt against her skin and the touch of his hand on the back of her neck as he pulled her close. The memories burned like a fire reigniting inside her. She still wanted Freddie, indeed still loved him. But as she stood in front of the mirror staring at her reflection, she realized she was no longer the same Anne Elliot he had known. Not only had she hurt him deeply but she wouldn't even be attractive to him now. The tears finally came and she buried her face deeply in her pillow so the sobs would not wake Mary, Charlie or the boys. She would get past this and life would go on and she would be content again. It was only a matter of time.

Chapter 5

Mary insisted they go shopping for new dresses to wear to the cookout. Anne tried to stay behind to act as babysitter but Mary wanted her to come along and help her pick out the perfect outfit. Anne relented and off they went to spend the day in boutiques picking through the latest fashions which just happened to be high on Anne's list of UNfavorite things. She did end up getting a light blue sundress in the vintage clothing store but Mary had to try on practically every dress and skirt in stock in every store they entered. She finally settled on a skirt and top which cost enough that they should have encrusted with precious gems rather than plain buttons and zippers.

What Louisa had told them was true. Every shopkeeper in town was talking about the movie being made at Kelly Hall and Fred Wentworth moving into town for the filming.

They were all excited at the prospect of possibly being part of a big Hollywood production, and of course Mary had to discuss the fact that she was going to be having dinner with Mr. Wentworth on the following evening.

Every time she heard his name, it felt like a tiny dagger to her heart. She kept a smile in place all day and even tried to pretend excitement of her own. Mary even asked her if she was feeling okay. Anne decided to lay the ground work for an excuse on Friday by saying that her stomach had been upset all day. Mary, who demanded empathy for the slightest ailment, reciprocated the least amount possible and offered her sister little more than a deep sigh as comfort.

It was nearly dark by the time Mary was ready to return home. Anne was exhausted both mentally and physically by that point. She had slept very little the night before. Charlie had bought pizza for himself and the boys for dinner and saved a few slices. Anne chose instead to take a long hot bath and turn in early with a book, one of her favorite Jane Austen classics. If she could just make it through tomorrow, it would be over. She wouldn't have to worry about seeing him again. One more day, she could make it through but her plan to beg off due to illness had to work.

She deliberately stayed in bed until nearly noon when she heard her sister saying rather too loudly, "I don't know when your Auntie is getting up. You'll just have to wait."

She finally got up but tried all day to keep up her act of not feeling well. Mary didn't even seem to notice. She was much too busy preparing herself for meeting a real Hollywood director.

At around 3:00 pm, Anne was sitting under an umbrella watching the boys play in the pool. Mary was inside doing her nails. She was trying to keep her attention on Little Charles and his brother but thoughts of Freddie clouded her mind. She didn't notice that Little Charles had gotten out and was running along the edge of the pool until she heard the huge splash. She jumped up and dove in pulling him to edge. He had hit his head on the edge of the pool and had a nasty gash on his forehead. She knew he needed stitches.

She grabbed both boys and called Mary who came out waving wet fingernails.

Upon seeing the blood, Mary began wailing and flapping around like a chicken. Anne calmly told her that they'd have to take him to the ER for stitches which seemed to calm her a bit but the wailing continued. They grabbed a towel to press against the cut, loaded the boys in the car and headed out. Anne had to drive because of her sister's emotional state but Mary continued screeching about how Anne should have been watching them and about getting blood all over herself . Anne was used to drama and histrionics after living with her father and Elizabeth so she simply nodded and kept driving.

The wait wasn't long and they soon had Little Charles all stitched up and eating a popsicle. Charlie had come straight away when Mary called him. They were finishing up the insurance paperwork and it was almost 5 pm. "Surely now," thought Anne, "there can be no thought of attending the cookout. I don't have to pretend to be ill. Little Charlie is really hurt and will want his parents."

Anne got back into the car with Mary and the boys and they followed behind Charlie's truck on the way home. At the first stoplight she turned to Mary and said, "I'm sorry you'll have to miss the party tonight. It's all my fault." Mary looked astonished. "Miss the party, why? The child is fine now. It was just a little bump. I don't see why I should have to miss anything." Anne didn't know what to say. She was sure Charlie would have a different view of things. Upon arriving home, however, Charlie was all for going to the party and leaving Mary at home to tend their son.

"Oh, that's just fine," sniped Mary, "you get to go and meet Mr. Wentworth and I'm the one who has to stay and tend to the child. He's your son just as much as mine. Why don't you stay and watch him and I'll go out. Just because I'm a woman doesn't make me a nurse." Charlie started to argue back and Anne could feel a huge argument brewing when a plan clicked into place in her mind.

"You two go and I'll stay with Little Charlie," she offered. "You know I haven't felt well all day, Mary. It'll be no trouble. We'll watch Spongebob. Really I want to stay with him." Charles tried to refuse but Mary was pretty quick to agree without arguing at all. She and Charles went upstairs to change and Anne settled down on the sofa with the boys to watch cartoons. They were both tired from the excursion to the ER and would probably be asleep in a couple of hours. She waved Mary and her husband off to the party with great relief. She was spared having to meet him again. Everything was going to work out. Before she knew it, she and the boys were all dozing in front of the TV.

At around 9 pm, Anne was awakened by the phone ringing. She answered quickly and whispered, "Hello." She could hear the party going on in the background as Mary was asking her about Little Charles. There was music and laughter and the sound of a man's voice, not Charlie or his father but a familiar voice, a voice from years ago. She heard herself assuring Mary that everything was fine while straining to catch the sound of his voice again. It was Frederick. He was there less than a mile away from her. She hung up the phone once Mary was satisfied and walked to the window which faced the Musgrove farm. She could see the lights and if she walked just a bit closer, she could probably hear the family and Frederick as they talked and laughed. Had he asked about her? Had anyone mentioned her? Did he even know she was here? It didn't matter. She didn't want to see she him, although every fiber of her being yearned for that very thing.

Charles and Mary, both a little tipsy, arrived home around midnight. She had carried the boys to their beds and was reading in her room. She could hear them talking as they went to their room and readied for bed, "I really do like that guy," Charlie remarked, "Very down to earth. Not at all what I expected." Mary agreed, "Oh yes and he's so handsome. Louisa and Henna were really taken with him. It's hard to believe that he is from such an undistinguished family." "Oh, stop it Mary," Charles sounded perturbed, "he had a single mom and they were poor. He worked his way to where he is. That's something to be proud of." Mary wasn't swayed, "Well, of course, but heritage is important as well. I wouldn't trade my Elliot heritage for all his money." Charles snorted a bit, "Maybe not, but apparently your father didn't have a problem with it." Mary had nothing else to say so the next sound Anne heard was the slamming of the bathroom door. Before long the house was completely quiet as all inside slept.

Chapter 6

The next morning, Anne was up early. It was Saturday and she had planned to take the boys out for the day. She was in the kitchen making pancakes when she heard a knock at the door. Assuming it was one of the Musgroves, she yelled, "Come on in." As she finished flipping 2 pancakes, she turned to say good morning to the guest and came face to face with Frederick Wentworth. He looked as stunned as she felt. She had to grab the counter behind her for support to keep from falling. He stammered, "I'm sorry. Charlie invited me to go fishing. I didn't realize that you were here." He turned as if to leave. She heard herself say, "He's out back," and then felt like there was no more air in her body to be able to speak. "Thank you," he responded curtly and left as quickly as he'd come in.

It had happened. She had seen him and he had seen her. He had not even acknowledged her as Anne. Could it be that she had changed so much that he didn't recognize her? She gasped in a breath. The boys were looking at her with worried expressions, "You okay, Attie Anne?" Little Charlie asked. She swallowed her tears and nodded, "Yeah, buddy, I'm great." She couldn't fall apart, not now. That was probably the only time she'd have to come face to face with him. She would stay very busy with the boys all next week or even go shopping again with Mary, anything to stay out of the house and away from further contact.

She was finishing the last of the pancakes when she heard the door to the garage opening. Charlie was talking to someone, "Come on in and get some coffee, Fred, and I think I smell Anne's famous blueberry pancakes." Anne grabbed a mug of coffee to steady her hands and steeled herself for another confrontation. Charlie walked in, "I don't think you've met Anne, my sister-in-law, Anne Elliot meet Mr. Frederick Wentworth." Anne could only smile and nod. Fred managed, "We've met before," as he nodded in her direction. "Really?" Charles asked, "When was that?" "Oh, God, No!" Anne prayed, "Don't say it. Don't tell him." Whether he saw the pleading in her eyes or maybe he felt the same, she didn't know but all he said was, "We were acquainted for just a short while when we both attended college in Atlanta, but that was years ago." Charlie was completely absorbed in his pancakes now and simply mumbled, "Huh, weird, small world and all that I guess."

Frederick sat down and accepted a cup of coffee, though he never drank a sip. He chatted amiably with Charlie and even spoke to the boys, asking Little Charlie about the boo-boo on his head, but he never again even looked at Anne. She sat like stone watching him move, listening to his voice. He was the same, no he was better, than 8 years ago. He was confident and charming. He still had the most perfect smile. His hands were so strong looking but she knew how gentle they truly were. She wanted to take in every line and every sensation to store away so that in years to come, she would still be able to remember him like this.

She didn't know how long they'd sat. Charlie had finished his huge stack of pancakes and turned to her, "You're awfully quiet this morning, Anne. You feeling okay?" She jerked her mind back to the present, "Oh, yes, fine. Just planning our day. The boys and I are going out, aren't we?"she asked to a chorus of YESSES! She looked back up to see Frederick's gaze on her again. There was a searching look in his eyes like he was trying to reconcile the woman who sat before him with the 19 year old girl he'd been in love with. Anne looked down at her coffee mug, "Well, time to get dressed guys," she said to the boys. She was turning to leave the table but stopped, "It was nice to see you again Fred." He only nodded in response. Then she was being pulled by four little hands to "Huwwy up, Attie."

By the time she'd dressed the boys and herself, he was gone. She went to pack snacks and saw that his coffee mug still sat where he had left it. She wrapped her hand where his had been. She could remember when their hands had been entwined so closely that you couldn't tell where one ended and the other began. That was over, she thought, as she carried the cup to the sink. That was in the past.

Mary had just awakened and was stumbling to the kitchen as Anne and the boys were heading out the door. "Have a good day," she smiled. And they would, Anne knew, have fun. Her nephews were some of her favorite people. In their eyes, she was perfect, not bookworm Annie, not skinny Annie, not a fashionless social flop but just Aunt Annie whom they loved. The rest of her family would never see her as they did and she had accepted that long ago. She just wished that Freddie Wentworth had kept that vision of her from 8 years ago in his head rather than this shell of a person she'd become.

Chapter 7


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 7

Although it had been a great day with the boys, Anne was exhausted. They had gone to the arcade, the toy store, the park, eaten lunch at Chuck E. Cheese, played putt-putt golf and had ice cream cones. Both boys were now asleep in their car seats as she drove home. All Anne could think of was having a hot bath and relaxing. She felt grimey and sweaty and her hair was a total mess. Maybe Mary was right, these two were more than a handful.

As she drove into the garage, she noticed Louisa's little convertible parked in the driveway. She loved Louisa and Hen but she really wasn't up for gossip and giggling tonight. She hoped they weren't staying long.

The boys woke up when the car stopped and she helped them out of their car seats. Charlie met them in the kitchen, "Wow, you guys sure look like you had fun today." Both boys tried telling all the events of the day at an ever increasing decibel level in a bid to get their dad's undivided attention. Charlie was great with them. She decided to leave them in his hands, "I'm headed to the showers, guys. See you in a bit." Charlie quickly stopped her, "Wait, we're all just about to go out and wanted you to join us. Louisa, Henna, Mary and I are taking Freddie on a night time walking tour of Old Savannah. He wants to get some ideas for location shots. Won't you come?"

Anne cringed inwardly at the thought of spending even more time with Frederick. She didn't think she could stand more of his obvious dislike of her, "I'll just stay with the boys. You all go on ahead. Thanks, though." Louisa and Henna walked in at that moment, "You most certainly won't stay home again. We already have a sitter for the boys. We're not allowing you to miss out on all the fun again. You have to come Anne. You have to!" Anne wavered. She thought that perhaps she could still get out of it but then Mary insisted as well, "You simply must come. I won't have anyone to talk to if you don't. Louisa, Henna, Charlie and that director completely ignore me." That did it. Anne wouldn't risk being the target of Mary's displeasure for the rest of the week. She agreed to go, "So when are we leaving? I still have to shower and change." Mary snickered, "Oh, we're leaving now, silly. We were just waiting for you to get home. And don't worry, no one will notice how you look anyway. You're fine as you are." It was true. With two young beauties like Louisa and Henna, no one would notice her and she was just too tired to argue anyway, "Okay, let's get going."

Everyone piled into Mary's van for the trip to the historic district. She and Henna sat in the back with Frederick and Louisa in the middle seats and Charlie and Mary in the front.

She leaned back against the seat and tried to pretend being asleep, but every nerve in her body was stretching to try and feel anything – any vibration, any recognition, any emotion from the man who was sitting directly in front of her. She got nothing in response. His attention was focused on Louisa and Henna, both dressed in short, slinky dresses that showed a lot of perfectly tanned skin and both completely enamored of every word he uttered. His attention towards Louisa was especially flirty. It was hard to watch but she knew that she had to endure. She had refused him and humiliated him and could not expect him to respect her feelings now. She had no right to expect anything from him so she tried to make herself as small and inconspicuous as possible in the back seat.

Their walking tour of Old Savannah started out fairly easy. It was a part of town that Anne knew like the back of her hand. She loved the old buildings and stately old homes. The girls continued to surround Freddie and dote on his every word. Charlie led the procession, pointing out interesting landmarks or buildings and occasionally Fred would stop and discuss certain areas with him. Anne followed a few feet behind the main group with Mary as her walking companion. She listened as Mary complained about everything from sore feet to the weather to Charlie's inconsiderate behavior towards her. She simply nodded and kept walking.

They had walked for hours and it had grown dark. Anne was so tired she was beginning to feel wobbly. Everyone else still seemed energetic and excited about the evening but they had not spent the day chasing two young boys all over town. It had been decided by Louisa and Henna that they should all go to a jazz club and Anne was following without comment as she had done all night. Just at that point, Mr. and Mrs. Musgrove drove by.

Mrs. Musgrove leaned out and yelled "Hello, y'all." Everyone rushed over to say hi and ask what they were doing in town. Mr. Musgrove, it seemed, had business at the bank that day and they were now headed home which sounded like heaven to Anne.

"You all must have been walking for hours. Does anyone want a ride home?" Mrs. Musgrove asked. No one spoke up until Freddie stepped forward, "I believe Anne is quite exhausted after her day with the young Musgrove boys. Maybe she'd like a ride."

Anne could not believe that he had even noticed her, much less notice how exhausted she was. She gladly took the back seat as Freddie opened the door for her. Mary looked a bit perturbed by her leaving but everyone else was still smiling and planning on a great evening out. They drove away waving to the group .

Mr. and Mrs. Musgrove were soon asking about their tour of Savannah and about Mr. Wentworth. Anne answered as politely and succinctly as possible. "I really think that Louisa has quite a crush on that young man," Mrs. Musgrove volunteered to which Anne could only smile. "You know Mary was only 19 when she and Charlie married. It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world," she continued. Mr. Musgrove was quick to interject that the girls were both too young and immature to consider marriage which eased Anne's mind but what Mrs. Musgrove said had planted a seed in her mind and it was taking root where no such idea had existed before. Could Freddie be interested in Louisa or Henna? He was at least 10 years older than they, but stranger matches had happened. They were both young, beautiful girls as well as vibrant and optimistic, exactly as she had been 8 years ago. It wasn't beyond the realm of possibility even with the age difference.

Thankfully, by the time she arrived at the house, the sitter had both boys asleep in their beds. She could take a long hot shower and relax. She lay in bed sipping a cup of chamomile tea with honey and trying to read a few more pages of Austen but as wonderful as the writing was, nothing was really getting past the wall of her thoughts.

She couldn't concentrate on anything but replaying the afternoon she had just spent in the company of Freddie. She had watched his every move, his facial expressions, listened to his laughter. She had longed for even a glance from him but he had very effectively ignored her right up until he'd suggested she get a ride home with the Musgroves. Had he really been concerned with her well being or was it just a way to get rid or her so he could more freely enjoy the evening? How was it possible for a heart to feel hope and despair in the same moment? Anne knew she was probably simply deluding herself because what she wanted more than anything was for Freddie to notice her, to drop the wall he had built and really talk to her again. She wanted to tell him everything but it was too late. She knew it was too late. She had lost her chance at real happiness when she had let Aunt Lydia persuade her against Fred Wentworth eight years ago. She finally gave up trying to read, turned off her lamp and lay quietly staring out the window while tears coursed silently down her cheeks until her pillow was damp. When she finally fell asleep hours later, it was only to dream of the man who haunted her waking hours as well.

Chapter 8

The next morning, Mary couldn't stop talking about Fred Wentworth, how charming he was, how handsome and how much of a gentleman. "He was complimenting Louisa all night. You know it was the funniest thing, though, when Charlie asked him about his acquaintance with you he didn't have much to say at all, only that you were so changed, he hardly recognized you. Oh well, poor Anne, I've told you that you need to pay more attention to your makeup and fashion." Usually the insults that Mary or the other members of her family chose to so graciously bestow upon Anne would simply bounce off the tough exterior she had built up towards them. This one, however, cut straight through the tough outer shell and pierced her directly in the heart. It was exactly what she'd feared since she had first seen him. He was even more handsome and self assured than he had been years ago while she, apparently, was now dowdy and frumpy almost beyond recognition. Tears sprang to her eyes and she quickly found a puzzle to work with little Charlie so that Mary could not see her tears. She would never give any of her family the satisfaction of crying in their presence. She had given enough to them in support of their pride, vanity and greed. Her feelings were her own.

The morning continued as per usual with Anne tending the boys while Mary watch talk shows. They communicated very little. It wasn't until Louisa and Henna drove up that the excitement began. They rushed in and ran straight to Anne and their snub of Mary didn't go unnoticed. "Oh, Anne," Louisa gushed, "you won't believe it when I tell you. Freddie is going down to St. Simon's Island for the weekend to visit an old friend and he's invited all of us along. He's rented a huge beach house apparently and he wants us all to go." Anne was stunned to say the least. It seemed Fred was moving fast with Louisa, "That's wonderful news, Louisa. I know you'll have a grand time. St. Simons is really beautiful."

Mary, sounding quite miffed, asked, "I suppose it's just the two of you who were invited, is that right? He doesn't even have the decency to invite the rest of the family." Louisa couldn't hide her giggle, "No, he's invited all of us, even you Anne. We're all invited for the weekend and he also invited a couple of the stars from the movie, James Bennett and Jack Harville. I can't believe it. We're going to be rubbing elbows with the stars! Aren't you excited, Anne?"

"I, of course I am, Louisa," Anne managed to utter, "It's just a big surprise. I honestly don't know if I can make it , though. Someone will have to stay with the boys and I'm not much of a beach person anyway." Louisa made a perfect pout and said, "Oh, Anne, you have to come. We need you there." This was said with a conspiratorial glance toward Mary. Of course, they had included her to keep Mary from ruining their fun. "Well, okay, I guess we're taking a road trip then," Anne said feigning exuberance that she did not feel.

The prospect of a trip was another excuse for Mary to propose more shopping which Anne reluctantly agreed to. She'd have to buy a swimsuit anyway because she hadn't even owned one for years. While they were shopping, Mary proposed a trip to her favorite salon and day spa. She wanted to get her highlights redone and get a massage to relieve all the tension she endured from dealing with her children. Anne figured she might as well get her hair cut while she waited for Mary.

Anne's stylist was Gianni. As soon as she sat down in his chair, he bent down to look her squarely in the face, "You, you could be beautiful with a little help from me. You have good skin and very pretty eyes but you don't do anything with this," he said as he tousled her long straight mousy brown locks. Anne had never been interested in fussing with her hair. She wanted it simple and easy. She got it trimmed about twice a year and other than that usually had it pulled back in a pony tail. She took a long hard look at herself in the mirror. Mary wouldn't be finished with all her treatments for at least an hour and a half. She looked back at Gianni, "Okay, go for it. Just nothing too short." He looked ecstatic, "Bellisima! You won't even recognize yourself when I'm done."

She sat for 30 minutes while he applied some kind of goop and foil to different strands of her hair then he washed and deep conditioned it. Finally, he turned her away from the mirror and started snipping away. It was a little nerve wracking not being able to see what was happening but at this point, she figured, what did it matter anyway?

About 20 minutes later, Gianni asked, "Are you ready?" She looked up at him, "I hope so." Then he turned her to face the mirror. Anne gasped. She actually looked, well pretty good. He had colored her hair a warm brown with tiny reddish gold highlights threaded throughout and then cut so that wisps framed her face and accented her eyes.

"So you see, Gianni does magic!" he said. She nodded, "Indeed." She paid him and included a generous tip and then went to sit up front and wait for Mary.

Mary was pink cheeked and her hair was even blonder than it had been before. She looked cute and perky like some SEC cheerleader. As she walked toward the lobby, she seemed to be scanning the room as if looking for someone. Anne realized that her sister didn't recognize her. She laid down her magazine and stood up. Mary's chin dropped.

"OH MY GOD! Anne, what did you do? You look so…so unlike yourself. Not that it's bad but I just can't believe it!" It was the first almost compliment she had ever received from Mary so she decided to just take it and run, "Thanks, Mary. Ready to finish shopping?" Her sister was still staring, "Uh, yeah. Yeah. Let's go."

Mary continued to do a lot of staring but didn't have much more to say about Anne's new look. It was a bit uncomfortable for Anne but then shopping was always uncomfortable.

Mary had the sales associate take about 15 different swimsuits and cover ups to the dressing room along with several dresses. Anne picked out a simple bronze colored two piece suit that had gold metallic accents . The color would suit her skin tone and match her new hair. She had always had a fairly thin figure so she knew the size would work.

Mary tried on every suit in the store before settling on a one piece in an orange batik print with a matching wrap. She was very self conscious about her stomach since having the boys but Anne assured her that she looked stunning.

After only 5 or 6 more stops, Mary finally agreed they had bought enough. Anne had only bought the swimsuit and 2 pairs of shorts while Mary had 6 bags of various purchases. They loaded everything in the back of the van and headed home. Upon their arrival, Charlie and the boys kept telling Anne how great she looked. It was pretty embarrassing for her and infuriating for Mary, "I guess no one noticed that I got my hair done as well. Of course, no one ever notices me anyway, do they?" She stormed off to her room. Anne gave Charlie a sympathetic look before he turned to follow his wife and apologize.

In the meantime, Anne corralled the boys to help bring in all the packages. She took her one small bag to her room and left Mary's six large bags on the dining room table. Her sister wouldn't allow the new things to sit for long without putting on a fashion show, even if she was angry with Charlie.

Chapter 9

The next day everyone, Mary, Charlie, Louisa, Henna and Anne, piled into the Musgrove's van for the 2 hour drive to St. Simons Island. Freddie, Bennett and Harville would be meeting them at the beach house later that day. Charlie filled them in on what Freddie had said about the other two men. It seemed they had all become friends while at UCLA. Harville was married and had one daughter while Bennett, who was a bit younger, was still single. They had been good friends for years and apparently this whole movie had been planned by the three of them as a joint project.

They arrived at the beach house just in time for lunch. The three guys were standing around a grill where steak and chicken were sizzling. No one would have guessed that these men were wealthy and famous. They just looked like 3 buddies having a beer and joking around. It made Anne really happy to know that Freddie had such good friends, people who were obviously an important part of his life.

Freddie came over to greet them and introduce them to his friends. He faltered just a bit when he got to Anne. Apparently the new look surprised him a bit, "And this is Anne Elliot, Mary's sister," he continued. Bennett leaned forward, "You are THE Anne Elliot. I've heard a bit about you." Anne could feel the blush spreading across her cheeks. "You're the English Literature expert, aren't you?" he asked. "Oh, oh yes. I'm a professor of English Lit, " she stuttered, relieved that he wasn't about to bring up anything about her and Freddie's past.

Once introductions were finished, they offered to help carry luggage, and rooms were assigned upstairs. Anne was the only person to have a room to herself which suited her completely. Bennett's wife and daughter were upstairs making salad and iced tea to go with the grilled meat. Anne introduced herself and the Musgroves. She instantly liked Alaina Bennett, and their daughter Ava was enchanting.

It was a beautiful day and after lunch Louisa suggested a walk on the beach. Everyone except Alaina was up for it. Alaina had to put Ava down for a nap. The girls all changed into their swimsuits so Anne reluctantly did the same although she wore shorts and a t-shirt as a cover up. When she came back out of her room she was surprised to see both Louisa and Henna in very skimpy string bikinis. Louisa, especially, was flirting mercilessly with Freddie. Anne just pretended not to notice and walked out onto the deck.

Jack Harville had already claimed a position on one of the lounge chairs and was sitting watching the ocean, apparently deep in thought. Anne didn't want to disturb him so she walked further down the deck and stood looking out at the blue green expanse of water against almost pure white sand. It was a rather mesmerizing view. Suddenly Mr. Harville interrupted her thoughts, "You're Anne Elliot, is that correct?" he asked.

"Yes, that is correct and if my memory doesn't fail me, you are Jack Harville?"

He nodded, "Let's dispense with formalities so that I can be just Jack and you can be just Anne and we can talk like old friends." She smiled and agreed instantly. He was definitely a handsome fellow although he had a perpetual look of being depressed which Anne couldn't quite understand. She sat down on the chair next to him, though, and they struck up a conversation.

While they sat chatting, the rest of the party came out headed for their walk on the beach and Jack and Anne followed. They stayed far enough back from the rest of the group to be able to have their own conversation while still being able to see and hear what went on. Jack was charming and handsome as you would expect from a young successful actor. He was also intelligent and well read which Anne had not necessarily expected. He spoke at length with her about his favorite poets and authors. They were soon so engrossed in their conversation that she had all but forgotten about the rest of their group.

"Tell me, Anne," he asked, "What do you think of the rest of this company? I know Bennett and Wentworth are good men because I've known them for years but what about the two young ladies and your sister and brother in law? Are they good people, trustworthy and honest? I ask because it appears that Fred may be forming an attachment to someone, if you see what I mean, and I'm not sure if that's going to be a wise choice for him."

Anne looked ahead to see Louisa had jumped on Fred's back and he was running with her down the shore. Henrietta followed squealing with glee. Mary and Charlie followed behind with Bennett, watching them with very disapproving looks on their faces.

"I think they are all basically good people. Louisa and Henna are still young so they can be a bit silly and irresponsible sometimes but all the Musgroves are very loving, caring people. Charlie is no exception. He, however, is a bit henpecked, I'm afraid. My sister has a terribly demanding personality and if they are to stay married, one of them has to give and unfortunately Charlie has gotten that role by default. But despite being sometimes overbearing and caring too much for appearances, Mary is….well, she's my sister so if I can't say anything nice, I refuse to say anything at all." Jack laughed at her honest response, "I'm glad to hear that the Musgroves have your good opinion. If Fred is going to fall for someone, it should be someone who'll treat him kindly and respectfully. He was involved in a devastating relationship during college. He rarely talks about it but you can tell he still feels hurt." Anne could barely contain her tears. If he knew that I was the cause of Freddie's pain, he would not be making me his friend, she thought.

For a few moments, Anne pretended to be completely absorbed in looking for shells so that she would have time to get her emotions in check. Jack surprised her with his next question, "Are you still single, Anne, or has someone already stolen your hear?" The tears threatened again but she held herself in by sheer force of will, "At the moment, I am single but there was someone years ago who took possession of my heart and I'm afraid he never returned it." Jack smiled sadly, "I know that feeling well. I was engaged to Bennett's sister and she died in a car crash last year. I still don't feel whole. I'm not sure I ever will." Anne could see that there were tears in his eyes, "I'm so sorry. I had no idea." He looked away out over the water, "Yes, we were supposed to be married here at the beach this past May." Anne touched his arm, "This must be terribly difficult for you, then. Are you sure it's a good idea for you to be staying here right now? Doesn't it just bring up more painful memories?" He shook his head, "No, I feel closer to her. But what about you? What happened with your heart stealer?" Now it was Anne's turn to confess, "It was a long time ago. It just didn't work out and we grew apart. Nothing too dramatic." Jack sighed and brushed a lock of hair behind her ear, "There's more to you, Ms. Elliott, than meets the eye. I think you'd be a person worth investing some time in."

Anne couldn't remember the last time she'd received a compliment from a man especially one as handsome and charming as Jack Harville. She looked up at him and smiled and it was then that she noticed the group down the beach. Freddie was staring directly at her and Jack and he didn't look happy.

The two of them walked down the beach and met up with the rest of their party. Louisa was suggesting a game of ocean Marco Polo which Anne had never heard of. She ended up talking the guys into it so Anne went along. She stepped out of her shorts and pulled her t-shirt off before heading into the sluggish surf. Again, she noticed Freddie seemed to be staring and so was Jack Harville. Okay, so she wasn't exactly Louisa Musgrove in her bikini but she didn't think she deserved rude stares. Anyway, she refused to let it bother her. She tried just having fun and forgetting about everything for a bit.

The game went on for over half an hour. At the moment, Henna was wearing the soaked bandana as a blindfold and everyone was trying to avoid her. Suddenly a large wave crashed right over Anne's head and pushed her towards the sandy bottom. It took her breath away and she was fighting to stand up and get air again when she felt two strong arms grab her around the waist and pull her up, sputtering and coughing. Once she could see, she realized that it was Freddie who had grabbed her and was still holding onto her.

She pulled away from him, "I'm fine. Just clumsy but perfectly okay. We can go on with the game." Freddie looked away but Bennett said, "No, the tide's coming in and the water will be getting rougher. Let's find something on dry land for a while."


	3. Chapter 3

That evening they dined on fresh seafood and white wine. The wine continued flowing long after dinner was over. Louisa and Henna had both gone beyond tipsy and were flirting shamelessly with Freddie. At one point, Anne looked over and Louisa was actually sitting in his lap. It was more than she could take so she went out onto the deck for some air.

Once again she found Jack Harville sitting alone. "Ah, Anne, a woman with some sense. Have a seat so we can talk properly." Harville was a bit of an odd duck but Anne felt a sort of kinship with him. At the moment, his company was a relief after the silly exhibitions she had just witnessed with the Musgrove girls. "Why thank you sir," she responded as she sat down next to him. "Those girls," he said, pointing back towards the door of the beach house, "are driving poor Wentworth crazy." Anne didn't think that Freddie had seemed to be minding their attention too much when she had been inside but she didn't contradict her new friend.

"So, tell me Anne, are you a hopeless romantic like the young ladies inside and the heroines in your Jane Austen novels?" he questioned. Anne thought about that for a moment. A "hopeless" romantic was probably a perfectly apt description of her. She had no hope of finding Mr. Right again after refusing him once, but she wouldn't discuss her broken dreams with this man that she barely knew. "I consider myself more of a realist," she told him, "like the real Jane Austen rather than one of her heroines. I'm not closing myself off from the possibility of romance but at this point, I'm not really expecting it to happen to me again either. When you've had the chance to know real love once, it's hard to imagine being lucky enough to find it again." Jack nodded in agreement, "My thoughts exactly. I don't even know if I want to look for it again. Everyday, almost anything that I do brings up a memory of Abby. There is no room for another woman in my heart."

Anne understood exactly what he meant. She had felt that way for the last nine years. She could feel tears forming as she thought of Fred sitting just a few feet away from her yet as completely lost to her as Abby was to Jack. "You're a young, handsome, wealthy and even famous guy. Surely if anyone can find love again, it will be you. It's a little different for a dowdy English Lit professor like me. I don't think you should just give up. You may still get to play the role of husband if you keep an open heart and open mind," she told him. Jack looked puzzled, "So you're an optimist for everyone except yourself?" he asked. Anne, who had become a master of changing the subject when her love life was the issue, stood and said, "Time for more wine I think. Can I get you something?" Jack shook his head, "I'm fine." She turned to head back in to the kitchen and almost ran into Freddie who was on his way out. His look was withering as she passed him. "How long was he there," she thought to herself, "and how much did he hear", but she slipped past him without a word.

It was only 10 pm and everyone else seemed to still be going strong. Henna, Alaina and James were playing some type of board game in one corner. Fred and Louisa had gone out for a walk on the beach while Jack still sat on the deck. Charlie and Mary were watching some crazy comedy on television. Anne felt alone despite the crowd. It wasn't a new feeling for her but for some reason, she felt especially sad about it this evening. She decided to head off to her room and escape into another Austen novel. No one would even miss her, she was sure.

The next day Charlie proposed they rent jet skis and ride toward the southern tip of the island where he had heard there was a good chance of dolphin sightings. Of course, Henna and Louisa jumped at the chance and the men were up for it. James and Alaina begged off saying they wanted to spend some time with Ava on the beach. Mary, of course, was the lone dissenter and she made her wishes known very loudly. Charlie finally talked her into it by promising a shopping trip later in the day and getting a jet ski that she could ride in tandem with him.

The weather was a bit windier which made the ocean choppy but it was still sunny and warm. It was Louisa's first time on a jet ski in the ocean. It took her a few minutes to get the hang of it but she was soon showing off, speeding past the others and doing fancy turns. Freddie kept telling her to be more careful but she continued in her game to keep his attention. They had almost reached the spot for dolphin watching when Louisa challenged Fred to a race. He told her that the water was too rough and it was too dangerous but she laughed, "Are you afraid you'll get beaten by a girl, Freddie?" Then she took off at top speed. Fred went after her yelling, "Louisa, don't be reckless," but her jet ski was already going airborne as she jumped the larger waves.

Suddenly, the jet ski flew straight up into a rather large wave at almost a ninety degree angle and started to flip. A more experienced rider might have been able to control it but Louisa panicked. She fell backwards off the seat as the jet ski continued to roll. They all watched in horror as the jet ski fell directly on the spot where Louisa had just slipped beneath the water. Frederick was only seconds behind her and jumped into the water to rescue her while the rest of their group pulled in nearer to the scene.

Fred pulled Louisa to the side of his jet ski. She was unconscious and had a bloody gash on her head. With her lifejacket on, she was floating serenely at his side, looking almost corpselike. He was obviously severely shaken and unsure what to do next. Everyone, in fact, seemed to be in a state of shock. Anne, whose rock climbing and hiking experience had included some first aid training, jumped into the water next to Freddie, "Don't move her. Leave her floating on her back. She may have spinal injuries. Call 911. They can send an ambulance and Jack, go to the nearest lifeguard station to see if they have a backboard or sled to place her on until the paramedics arrive." Everyone began following her orders as if it were a military drill. Freddie was looking at her with gratitude and something like astonishment.

It seemed like hours but actually only 10 minutes passed before 2 lifeguards arrived in a small boat with a backboard. They positioned the board under Louisa and strapped her in place before loading her onto the boat and taking her to the shore. Paramedics arrived within minutes of them moving her from the boat to the beach. The Musgroves, Anne and the rest of the group stood helplessly watching as Louisa's vital signs were checked. She was still unconscious and still bleeding a bit from her head wound but otherwise all her vitals looked okay. They wrapped her in blankets to prevent shock and put her in the ambulance to transport her to the hospital.

By this point, Henna and Mary were nearly hysterical. Charlie looked ready to collapse. Jack and Fred were doing their best to comfort the family while Anne made arrangements for the jet skis to be returned to the rental kiosk and then called a cab to take them to the hospital. Everyone seemed to be looking to her to call the shots during the pandemonium after the accident and she held herself together in order to get everyone else where they needed to be. She would have to wait until later to fall apart herself.

At the hospital, their group filled about a fourth of the small waiting area in the ER. They were all still in swimsuits and sandals and looked like a bunch of beach bums. Henna and Mary were still crying and making a scene. Anne tried talking to them but it was no use. Henna was a genuine basket case and Mary was determined not to let anyone else seem more upset than she was.

After about an hour of waiting, they were finally approached by a young doctor. He introduced himself as Dr. Edwards. He updated them on Louisa's condition, "She has a concussion and some slight intracranial swelling which is not unusual in such cases. Her vital signs are all still good but she hasn't regained consciousness yet which is concerning. We are going to admit her, run some more tests and just keep an eye on things. Hopefully the swelling will gradually reduce and she'll be herself again in a week or so. Right now, all we can do is wait." It wasn't exactly great news but it was hopeful.

The doctor said he would get back in touch with them once she was admitted and placed in a room and then he went back to see to his patients.

Everyone seemed a bit dazed still but Freddie quickly stepped in, "We'll need to contact your parents, Charlie. They'll want to be here. Perhaps I should go and tell them in person and drive them back here myself. It might be safer. They shouldn't be driving after having a shock like this." Charlie agreed and they stepped aside to discuss their plans. Anne, who was sitting nearby, overheard their conversation.

Charlie proposed that they go back to the beach house to pack things and move to a hotel nearer the hospital. Fred suggested that someone should stay at the hospital and he said, "There can be no one better suited than Anne for that." His confidence in her was, to say the least, surprising to Anne. Charlie agreed and said he would send Mary and Henna home. Mary could stay with the boys and Henna would want to be with her parents. They stepped back to the group and laid out their plan.

Mary immediately began to wail that it was "unfair to ask her to leave her beloved sister's side." She suggested that if anyone should be sent home it should be Anne since she had no real relation to the Musgroves. Charlie gave a half hearted attempt at trying to change her mind but, as usual, she got her way. Mary would stay at the hospital while everyone returned to the beach house. Charlie would pack their clothes and get a hotel room near the hospital. Anne would go back to Savannah with Fred and Henna to inform Mr. & Mrs. Musgrove. Anne's job was then to take charge of her two rambunctious nephews until Mary and Charlie returned. Fred didn't look happy about the decision but he did not object. The current situation offered little time for conversation or goodbyes so Anne left the beach house with no idea of what the Bennetts and Jack Harville planned to do. She hoped that she would have the chance to see them again but for the moment, all that mattered was attending to the needs of the Musgroves.

Within only 20-30 minutes of returning to the beach house, they were back in the car with Fred driving them home to Savannah. Anne sat in the front with him while Henna took the back seat. It was obvious that she was exhausted from the strain of worrying about her sister. She fell asleep within a few minutes of their drive. Anne sat looking straight ahead or out the passenger window. She didn't know what to say to Fred despite the obvious tension which was building from the continued silence. She would occasionally glance in his direction and noted that his jaw stayed clenched and his brow furrowed. The minutes dragged by as she tried to think of something to say to him. Anything she could come up with seemed trite and inconsequential in the present circumstances. Finally, Fred broke the silence, "It was my fault. I was a damned fool this entire week playing along with her games and now look what's happened." Anne wanted to try and soothe him. She said, "Louisa's going to be fine, you'll see," but Fred was unmoved. "I have to make this right." Anne felt that he was talking more to himself than to her anyway so she went back to the uncomfortable silence. They drove all the way to the Musgrove farm without saying another word to each other.

When they arrived at the farm, Fred went immediately in to speak to Mr. Musgrove. Anne stayed behind to help Henna out of the car. As she got to the door, she could hear the commotion beginning. Mrs. Musgrove was shrieking, "Oh, my poor Louisa, no!" and Mr. Musgrove was asking question after question. Fred was politely and firmly answering and then he suggested that they pack a bag and he would drive them back to St. Simons. Henna had disappeared into her mother's loving arms and was being consoled.

Anne stood unsure of her place for a moment near the front door. She turned to leave to go to her nephews, but Fred grabbed her arm, "Anne, without your cool head today, things would have been much worse. I…well, just thank you." Anne smiled, "It was nothing. Louisa is like family to me. I was happy that I could help." Fred nodded and asked nervously, "So you are going to stay here with the children, then?" She said, "Yes, I suppose so." She felt that he wanted to say something more to her. She waited, hoping that he would, but he continued to stand uncomfortably still and silent looking at her.

It wasn't long until they both heard the Musgroves coming back down the stairs with their bags. Anne broke her gaze from Fred's to glance up. She looked back at him. "Goodbye, Frederick Wentworth," she whispered and turned to leave before he could see the tears that were threatening in her eyes. He did not try to stop her again. She didn't expect that he would.

As she walked towards Mary and Charlie's house, she could hear the family loading up the car and driving away. She turned to wave but no one was looking. Her brief reacquaintance with Fred was over, and the tears could no longer be held back. All of the sadness, fear, regret and grief that had built within over the past week washed over her in waves. She had to sit for a moment in the field between the houses until she could get herself under control enough to meet her nephews.

The next few days went by in a blur. Anne had her hands full caring for the two rowdy boys and the worry for Louisa never left her mind. She slept fitfully at night wondering about the Musgrove family and thinking about Frederick. Charlie would usually call once a day to update her but for the most part there had been no change. After 2 weeks of waiting, it was a shock to hear a car pulling into the garage. Charlie and Mary had returned. Louisa had finally awakened and was recovering. She was having some slight cognition and mobility issues so they planned to have her admitted to a physical rehabilitation center for a couple of weeks. Doctors were predicting she would be back to normal within a month. It was a huge relief for them all.

Anne, no longer needed as a babysitter, decided it would be best for her to leave the Musgroves. She had nothing to hold her here any longer and only another eight weeks left before classes would resume at the university. She had to leave this situation behind and put Frederick Wentworth out of her mind again. Her life would return to what it had been before. Whatever happened with Frederick and Louisa was not her concern. She sincerely wished the speediest of recoveries for dear Louisa but could not think beyond that.

Anne packed her small suitcase and drove away after lots of sticky hugs and kisses from her nephews and a failed attempt by Mary to make her feel guilty enough to stay another week. She headed straight to the mountains of North Georgia for some hiking and camping. A week of exercise and fresh air would clear her head. A colleague from the university had offered to let her stay at his small cabin for the week. It would be a complete escape from the rest of the world.

After a day spent hiking secluded trails with breathtaking views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Anne usually fell asleep easily. Her dreams, however, could not be exhausted by her physical activity during the day. She couldn't get Freddie Wentworth out of her head. The pain was almost as bad as losing him the first time. She found herself in tears without warning, sometimes ending up doubled over from the ripping pain that his absence left in her heart. She allowed herself this one week to grieve again, to dream of him and remember all that she had lost by denying him all those years ago. Once the week ended, she would push it all away deep within herself again. Life had to go on and she would force a smile when necessary.

After five days in the mountains, Anne headed back to Atlanta. She made a stop in the tiny mountain town of Cherry Log, Georgia to fill her car up with gas and grab a cup of coffee. While in the store, she literally bumped into a tall, dark haired guy decked out in mountain biking gear and covered in mud splatter. They were both all apologies as she helped him pick up his snacks and Gatorade. She felt a little uncomfortable with how long he stared at her. Finally he said, "I'm sorry and this is not a pick up line but I feel like I know you. Are you related to the Elliots of Savannah?" She smiled and replied, "Actually I am one of the Elliots of Savannah." He grinned, "Well, that explains it. I'm Joshua Elliot Marsh. My father is, I believe, the fourth cousin of your mother which would make us either fifth cousins or fourth cousins once removed. My mother is the geneaology expert. She has been compiling a family history and the Elliot heritage made quite an impression on her. I think she feels she has southern royalty as her distant kin." Anne nodded in complete empathy, "Then she and my father would have a great deal in common."

The pair continued their friendly conversation for several minutes before Mr. Marsh's friends came looking for him. Before he left, he asked, "Will you be here in the mountains for long, Ms. Elliot?" She shook her head, "Call me Anne, please and sadly no. I am on my way home to Atlanta now. It was very nice to meet you, though, Josh. I hope we can get together again sometime." He laid his hand over hers on the table, "I would really like to do that. I live in Buckhead so we're practically neighbors. Can I call you?" She felt a little shy and nervous at his touch but in a good way. She handed him one of her cards as he was about to walk away, "I'll be looking forward to it."

She returned to her car still thinking of Josh. He was handsome and rugged looking, and he had seemed interested in her as well. A little attention from a gentleman was always appreciated. It gave Anne a bit of a boost of self confidence and something to look forward to once she was back home. She really hoped he'd call

There was still over a month before classes resumed and Anne had no specific plans. It would be nice to just be back in her snug apartment. Perhaps she would take another short trip with some friends or do some work on a novel that she had been trying to write for the last two years. During her drive home, Anne was annoyed to receive not one but four texts from her father requesting that she call him immediately. He had "very important news" to share with her. Mr. Walter's important news usually involved updates on new purchases for his wardrobe or which parties he had been invited to attend so she was in no hurry to return his calls. In fact, she waited for several days before giving in to her daughterly guilt over his continued unanswered messages and finally called him back.

"Anne, I am most unhappy with you," Mr. Walter began, "It is completely unacceptable that you ignore my calls. I have news that is of the utmost urgency." Anne gave the obligatory apology and begged him to continue. "The Tybee Island Historical Society has decided to name me, Walter Elliot, its Distinguished Southern Gentleman of the Year. The honor is due, in part, to my contribution of Kelly Hall for the Civil War film." Anne had to cover the phone to hide her surprised giggle. His "contribution" was the only thing that had saved him from bankruptcy.

Mr. Walter went on to detail the attention from the press he had received and finally he told Anne that a "small cotillion" in his honor would be held in six weeks time. He basically commanded that she was to attend although he insisted that her sister, Elizabeth, would choose an appropriate dress for Anne. "You have no taste or fashion sense, Anne Elliot. Sometimes I wonder how such a changeling is actually my child," he said. Anne was furious by the time the call ended but managed to hold her tongue. She would never change the vanity or shallowness of her father but she rarely had to endure his attention for more than an hour or two a few times a year. She agreed to attend the cotillion. She made it clear, however, that her fashion choice would be her own.

Charlie Musgrove called later in the week to say that Louisa was progressing well in her recuperation. She would be able to leave the rehab facility in a couple of weeks to return home. Anne was relieved and so happy to hear that her young friend was making such rapid progress. Of course, both the Musgrove girls had always been so positive and happy. That must have helped Louisa to overcome her injuries faster.

Anne was also interested to hear from Charlie that Fred Wentworth had returned to Savannah a couple of weeks earlier. "He had to return to the movie, of course," Charlie added. Anne was a bit surprised. She had expected to hear that Freddie had been staying by Louisa's bedside. She reminded herself, however, that it was really none of her concern. Anne promised to call Mary soon and told Charles to give his love to Louisa.

Anne found herself spending a lot of time walking and thinking. She would sometimes imagine that she saw Frederick walking in a group of people on the street or sitting across a crowded restaurant. Her thoughts and memories of him weren't so easily locked away this time. She was no longer the impressionable young girl of nine years ago. Her longing for Frederick had strengthened and matured and was now like a thread woven into her very soul. Time, she kept telling herself, would remedy the situation. In time, she could distance herself from these emotions. She could rebuild the wall. She had to do it, but no matter how many times she told herself, she never seemed to be able to lock those memories away again.

Mary called her several weeks later in a state of near hysteria, "Anne, oh my gracious, you will never guess what has happened! Well, it's just too much!" Anne tried to calm her sister. She wasn't making much sense. "Anne, we have had the most unbelievable news. Louisa Musgrove is engaged! Yes, engaged! Can you even believe it? I mean we suspected that there was an attraction but it's all so sudden. We are all just flabbergasted." Anne couldn't breathe. She felt like she'd been punched hard in the stomach. Tears streamed. "Anne, Anne? Are you still there?" Mary demanded. All that Anne could manage was "Uh-huh" and Mary continued babbling about Louisa and the engagement. After being tortured for over half an hour by her oblivious sister, Anne was finally able to hang up.

Engaged! He was engaged to Louisa. She remembered him saying, "I have to make this right," but she hadn't expected anything so drastic. How could he marry Louisa Musgrove? She was beautiful, of course, but so young and so silly and naïve. They were so unsuited for each other. He was going to be married and not to some random model or actress but to Louisa. She curled slowly down into a chair next to the window. This was her own fault. She turned Fred down nine years ago. She let the opportunity pass. There was nothing to be done but bear it. She had no right to feel hurt or be unhappy for Louisa. It was her own fault, she kept repeating to herself.

The next morning, Anne forced herself out of bed. Self pity was not an emotion she indulged in for very long. She had to keep herself occupied, stay busy. That was the best way to get through this. It had worked nine years ago and it could work again. The Historical Society Cotillion was only 10 days away. She had to buy a dress. It seemed insane to go shopping for a ball gown at a time like this but it would occupy her mind and keep her from hiding in her bedroom.

There were shops in Atlanta that carried the most expensive designer labels and those were the stores that Elizabeth or Mary would have chosen. Anne, true to her odd duck reputation in the family, preferred more offbeat vintage clothing stores. She would sometimes spend hours going through the racks and wondering who had worn the items and what stories the clothes could tell. Her favorite place to shop was called Hattie's Attic. It was an eclectic place with clothing, hats, accessories and even shoes from bygone eras. The people who shopped there were usually as interesting as the items for sale. Anne hoped it would take her mind off thoughts of Freddie and Louisa.

As it was a weekday and still before noon, the shop was deserted except for herself and the owner, Hattie McDaniel, no relation to the star of Gone with the Wind as Anne had learned on first meeting the incredibly youthful 75 year old woman. Hattie came out to greet her and give her a big hug. The two chatted briefly. Hattie rubbed Anne's shoulder and asked, "Are you okay, sugar? You seem a little down." Anne tried so hard to smile and say she was fine but it just wasn't happening. She felt the tears stinging her eyelids and barely stifled a sob. Hattie took her arm and led her to a comfy office where they sat on a small loveseat.

Hattie made her a cup of tea and sat patiently until Anne regained her composure. "So, honey, I know this has got to be man trouble by the way you're so heartbroken. Do you want to talk about it?" It was not Anne's nature to talk to anyone about her feelings but for some reason she opened up to Hattie. She told her about meeting Frederick in college and their whirlwind romance, how she had turned him down and always regretted it. Then she told Hattie about meeting him again and everything that had happened over the past 6 weeks and ended by telling her about the engagement between Louisa and Fred. Hattie was astounded, "That's about the saddest thing I've ever heard. Honey, you've given up too much in your short life. Don't you think you ought to fight for this Fred fellow if you really love him? You shouldn't just give up without even trying." Anne thought about what the older woman had said. How could she do that? She couldn't expect Fred to forgive or forget and he had made it pretty clear that he wasn't interested anyway. She just shook her head, "It's impossible, Hattie. If he had given any sign of having forgiven me, maybe…but he hasn't, and my family would disown me if I interfered with Louisa's engagement."

The tears were threatening to return. Hattie stood up and took Anne's hand, "What you need is a shot of self confidence and I have got a dress that will work some magic in that department. Come with me." Anne followed the proprietor to a dressing room. Hattie told her to take off her jeans, t-shirt and sneakers and she'd be right back. Anne didn't dare disobey. It took only a couple of minutes for Hattie to return with a billowing white garment bag. "I've held this dress back for a while now. It belonged to a friend of mine and when she passed a few years ago, I ended up with it. I never thought I'd want to sell it until today but this dress was made for you. Try it on and you'll see," Hattie assured her.

As the bag was unzipped, Anne gaped at the garment being revealed. It was a ball gown from the late 1940's or early 1950's but in such perfect condition that it could have been brand new. The dress was a cloud of ivory tulle with embroidered tiny golden petals strewn across the bodice and skirt. It had a fitted sweetheart bodice and fitted waist which flared into a full floor length skirt. The straps were wisps of gold lame. Anne slipped it over her head and Hattie zipped her into it. It fit as if it were custom tailored. Anne turned to Hattie, "How is it?" Hattie beamed, "Perfect. Come see for yourself."

Anne stepped out of the tiny dressing room and walked a few feet to a three way mirror. At the first glimpse of herself in the dress, she was sold. The fit was perfect. The color made her skin glow. She felt like Cinderella after her visit from the fairy godmother. This was, as Hattie had said, a dress that could work some magic and Anne was sorely in need of whatever help it could offer. Hattie asked, "What do YOU think?" Anne nodded and smiled, "I think I'll take it. Thank you, Hattie."

After getting changed back into her less than magical outfit of jeans and a t-shirt, Anne paid for the dress and gave Hattie McDaniel a giant hug in gratitude for all her help and understanding. Hattie reminded her as she left, "Don't forget that you have to make yourself happy, too. You can't worry about what everybody in your family thinks about your life. You have to live it for yourself and find your own way." Anne thanked her again and waved goodbye as she left the store. She felt somehow lighter and less troubled than she had earlier thanks to Hattie's help and advice. Now, with Hattie's words in her head and the perfect dress carried over her arm, she felt a little bit more powerful and independent than she had in quite a while.

Having not eaten breakfast, Anne decided to stop in at a little coffee shop on her way home. She ordered a latte and a turkey sandwich and sat near the window while she ate. She still found herself searching the faces of passersby hoping that one would be the longed for face. Instead, she suddenly found herself smiling and waving to Mr. and Mrs. Musgrove who were passing, laden with bags and boxes from local stores.

Upon seeing Anne, they immediately detoured into the coffee shop to say hello. Anne had always loved the couple since meeting them shortly before Charlie and Mary's wedding. This time, though, their meeting would, in Anne's mind, be haunted by the looming specter of Louisa's engagement. She put on a brave face and prepared to congratulate the mother and father of the bride as they joined her at her small table, piling their various packages in stacks around their feet.


	4. Chapter 4

Mrs. Musgrove was rosy cheeked and out of breath from her morning of shopping. She asked her husband to fetch them lattes while she sat down to catch up with Anne. The mother of the bride to be was even more loquacious than usual. "Well I guess you've heard our amazing news, Anne. I'm sure that Mary didn't waste a second before calling you." Anne felt a bit faint as she desperately tried to hold her emotions in check, "Yes, she did give me a call a couple of days ago. It's wonderful, of course, but rather sudden," Anne replied. Mrs. Musgrove waved her hand as if to say enough, "I know, my dear. I've heard all the gossip and rumors from everyone we know around Savannah and believe me Louisa is not pregnant. She's just an impetuous girl, always has been." Anne quickly tried to reassure her old friend, "No, of course, I didn't mean to imply anything improper, Mrs. Musgrove. I just worry for Louisa."

By that time, Mr. Musgrove had returned to the table with two tall lattes and some biscotti. "Yes, Anne," he told her, "We also worry about Louisa but she is an adult, a young adult to be sure, but we can't stop her and really it would only cause more problems if we were to try and stop this union. Jack Harville seems to be a good man and he truly dotes on Louisa. I've heard it said that bonding over a sick bed can bring about the most intimate of romantic attachments. We are just hoping that it's true for everyone's sake." Mrs. Musgrove nodded in agreement as her husband spoke.

Anne was perplexed. Mr. Musgrove had said Harville was a good man. He was, of course, but what did that have to do with anything. "I'm sorry, sir, but you mentioned Jack Harville. I'm afraid I haven't been informed what his part in the wedding is going to be. Is he the best man?" Mr. and Mrs. Musgrove looked at each other and erupted in laughter. Anne could feel her face turning red. Mrs. Musgrove turned to her, "I'm sorry, dear Anne, we don't mean to laugh but it's just that Jack Harville is Louisa's intended. He is the groom to be."

For just a second Anne couldn't speak or even breathe. "Jack Harville has proposed to Louisa? Not Frederick Wentworth? She is going to marry Jack Harville?" Mr. Musgrove chuckled again, "You should see your face, Anne. I must admit though, that we were just as surprised when we first heard the news. We felt sure that Louisa and Fred were hitting it off in grand fashion but after the accident, well, he apparently wasn't up to dealing with illness. He was back to Savannah and the movie as soon as possible. It was Mr. Harville who stayed with Louisa, brought her anything her heart desired. He even sat and read to her every evening, poems mostly. I believe that is what settled it for Louisa. He proposed right after she left the rehab hospital and she accepted without hesitation. I think she feels she is living one of his romantic poems at the moment."

Anne could feel the weight lift from her heart. Fred wasn't getting married. Mrs. Musgrove asked, "Are you alright dear? You look as if you'd seen a ghost." Anne could only smile and fight to hold back tears, "No, I'm fine Mrs. Musgrove. I must admit that I never figured Louisa to be one for poetry but it seems I was wrong. We all were, I guess." Then all three began to laugh. "Yes, I guess we were all wrong about Louisa," Mrs. Musgrove agreed, "But thankfully , in a good way." Anne wholeheartedly agreed, "Yes, in a very good way."

After the Musgroves excused themselves and left to do more shopping for the wedding, Anne sat in utter astonishment going over what had happened in the last few minutes. She could never remember being rendered completely speechless but it had happened when she heard the news about Louisa and Jack Harville. How on earth had such a match happened? She remembered Jack thinking the girls silly during their trip and she also remembered him saying that he could never love another woman after losing Abigail. Apparently, none of that had mattered in the end. Hopefully she would be able to talk to Mary or one of the Bennetts and get the inside scoop on the relationship. She normally didn't care much for gossip but in this case she'd make an exception.

Anne decided she'd had enough excitement for one day. She thought she might be suffering from emotional whiplash due to the roller coaster ride she had been on for the past 24 hours. First, the devastation of hearing about the engagement and then the completely unexpected news that Jack Harville was the intended groom, it had all left her feeling confused and overwhelmed. She needed some quiet time to sort it all out so she headed back to her apartment. Her hopes for a quiet afternoon were soon dashed, however, upon receiving another frantic call from her father.

"Anne, you need to come to Tybee today. I know the ball is still a week away but your sister can't keep up with all the social activities and run the household. As hard as it is for me to ask, your sister has requested your assistance. She has met a young man who is occupying her free time and then she has to escort me to all the honorary dinners and such. Will you move your trip up and come to Tybee today or tomorrow?" Anne found herself somewhat astonished for the second time in one day. Her father had never asked for her help with anything. In fact, he usually insisted that she be excluded from any family activities. But, if Elizabeth really had met a guy, perhaps her father was feeling a little left out and Anne was his only option. She agreed to arrive at Tybee by the next afternoon.

There was little to pack, where Anne was concerned, for a trip to the beach. She threw a swimsuit, several pairs of shorts, a few t-shirts and a couple of sundresses into a small suitcase along with sandals and flip-flops. Her dress for the cotillion was the one item that would require special handling. It took up the entire back seat of her car so she threw the suitcase in the trunk. She headed out early the next morning for the four and a half hour drive to Tybee Island. She usually dreaded trips to visit her father and Elizabeth but she needed a change of pace. She also hoped that Elizabeth might have some news about Louisa's upcoming wedding.

According to her father's reports, he and Elizabeth had rented a small cottage on the beach. Anne was not surprised to see upon arriving that the "cottage" was actually the largest and most beautiful house in sight. Nothing else would have done for Mr. Walter. Neither he nor Elizabeth came out to greet her so she simply walked in carrying her own small suitcase, "Hello, is anyone home? Father, Elizabeth?" Anne could hear her father's heels clicking on the marble floor as he walked across the room, "Really, Anne, this is not a barn. Must you yell like an uneducated hooligan?"

Anne reached to hug her father who stiffened at her touch as usual, "Good to see you again, too, Father. Is Elizabeth in?" Mr. Walter smiled, "No, I'm glad to say that she had an engagement today. A young man from Savannah has been at Tybee this week and has been escorting her out almost every day." "That's wonderful," Anne replied, "I would love to meet him." "Actually, I believe you have already met," he told her, "His name is Joshua Marsh. His mother is very active in the Savannah Historical Society and he called on us to congratulate me on the award. He and Elizabeth hit it off instantly." Anne was quite surprised, "Well! Yes, I actually did just recently meet Mr. Marsh. How funny that he should be coming to Tybee so soon!"

Her father directed which room was to be hers and she got her things put away, including her dream dress. The view from her window was amazing, nothing but blue ocean and white sand. She couldn't wait to get her feet wet so she slipped on a swimsuit and was soon out in the water playing like a little kid. It took a moment for her to notice when, about 20 minutes later, Elizabeth and a man walked out on the sand and began waving to her. She headed to shore to greet her sister.

As she waded out of the waves, she noticed that her sister, as usual, was perfectly outfitted, accessorized and coiffed. Elizabeth was undoubtedly the beauty of the family. She and the man standing next to her made a lovely couple. "Anne, I'm so glad you're finally here," her sister said aiming air kisses towards Anne's cheek. "Yes, glad to be invited to come early," she answered, "It's lovely here." "Oh, silly Anne. You know you never need an invitation to visit us," Elizabeth gushed glancing towards Joshua Marsh, " I believe you've met our guest already."

Anne looked at the man with her sister. He looked quite different from the muddy mountain biker from a few weeks before. "Yes, Mr. Marsh, how are you?" she asked. He extended a hand, "Well, it's doubly enchanting now that two beautiful Elliott sisters are here on Tybee." Anne's b.s. detector suddenly began alarming. "Isn't that just the loveliest thing to say," Elizabeth said while squeezing Josh's bicep. Anne simply smiled, "Yes, lovely. Well, I was just about to go for a walk so I hope to see you again soon."

She had started to walk away when Josh said, "I could use a walk myself. We had a big lunch. Elizabeth, I know you hate the sun so I'll walk with Anne while you rest inside. You don't mind, do you?" Caught off guard, her sister couldn't seem to find a reason to object so Anne and Joshua Marsh headed off down the beach together.

"I guess you're wondering how I ended up at Tybee Island," he asked. She nodded, "It did cross my mind." "It's my mother. I told you she's a geneology nut and when she heard her fourth cousin or whatever was getting the 'Southern Gentleman of the Year' award, she wouldn't stay away. She made me tag along to meet my relatives," he told her sheepishly. "I promise you. I'm not stalking your family," he told her. She laughed, "I'm sure you're not. You don't look like a stalker to me. Anyway, I think my sister would invite you to become her stalker. She seems quite taken with you." Josh seemed surprised, "Elizabeth and me!? Oh, no, you've got the wrong idea. We're just friends, strictly. I mean she's a beautiful woman but that would never work out." Anne was puzzled, "Are you sure that my father and sister are aware of that? I got the impression that you two were seeing each other." Josh looked concerned, "Oh, no, I mean we have gone to lunch and my mother invited her to tea the other day but we're not dating. I don't see how they would get that impression." Anne knew how her father thought, "I'm sure it'll be fine. Elizabeth and my father are both high strung, shall we say? They like to make good impressions and they rarely meet anyone who lives up to their standards as you obviously do. Just be careful."

Josh was as friendly during their walk as he had been during their chance encounter at the country store. They talked easily about their jobs, movies, music, and their families. He told her that he was in somewhat of the same boat as she. He loved his mother but she could be overbearing. His father had passed away a few years earlier and he had no siblings. He told Anne that he had been in a long term relationship during and right after college but had not been seriously involved with anyone since then. Anne felt that she had found a kindred spirit. As their walk brought them back towards the beach house, he asked if he could come by again tomorrow and take Anne out with some friends to go deep sea fishing. She immediately agreed.

Upon arriving back at the rental property, Anne was happy to find Aunt Lydia had come to visit for the week and stay for the cotillion as well. It always helped to have her Aunt around to act as a cushion from her father's disapproval. They spent an hour or two catching up and Anne excused herself to get showered and changed.

Late afternoon melted into evening on the white sand and the Elliots plus one gathered for dinner. Her father had hired a local woman to come in and do the cooking. She prepared a wonderful dinner of local seafood and fresh vegetables. Her father, as usual, held court at the dining room table during their meal. He regaled Anne and Lydia with tales of all the social events that he and Elizabeth had attended. Anne tried to recount what had happened to Louisa Musgrove but was interrupted. Elizabeth said, "Oh, yes, we've heard all about that scandalous mess. Imagine marrying a man she's only known a month. I'll bet my teeth that girl is pregnant. There's no other explanation for it. And he's a complete unknown, no family, no connections. It's such a sad day for the Musgroves." Their father heartily agreed, "A shame. Truly a shame that such a fine young woman would align herself with an ACTOR." Anne hid her grin behind her napkin and said nothing further. The two of them would never change.

The next morning, Anne awoke feeling excited about the day. She was looking forward to her outing with Joshua Marsh. It was the closest thing to a date she'd had in a long while. She wasn't looking forward to Elizabeth's reaction but then again, Elizabeth was never happy about anything in Anne's life so what did it really matter? Anne spent the morning reading and watching the waves. Josh came by at about 11 am to pick her up. Elizabeth was not even awake which made things easier. Aunt Lydia, however, was sitting on the deck when he arrived and gave Anne a knowing smile and waved as he held open his car door for her.

Josh was dressed casually in shorts and a t-shirt as was she. He asked if she'd ever been deep sea fishing and she admitted that this would be a first. He promised her that she would enjoy it and told her a bit about his friends who would be joining them. They were the same guys he had been biking with in the mountains along with their girlfriends. He told Anne that they'd been best buds since college.

Upon arriving at the marina, Anne was introduced to three young men, all good looking and well spoken. They seemed sincere in their regard for Joshua. Then they all got onboard the boat and she was introduced to their girlfriends. It was a bit of a shock. The girls were all gorgeous, young, buxom and scantily clad. Anne felt like a rag doll in a box of Barbies. It also surprised her that they all seemed to be, to put it kindly, rather dull witted. They couldn't seem to carry on a conversation about anything other than partying and getting wasted. Anne soon found herself left alone near the bow of the boat while the other ladies all huddled up together near the stern whispering and giggling.

"It's like high school all over again," Anne thought to herself, but she was stuck for the next 3 hours on this boat so she decided to actually try to fish to pass the time. Josh joined her after a few minutes, "I'm sorry about all this. I know you don't have much in common with the other girls. I mostly just wanted you to meet my friends. They're still a bit immature in their taste in women but they have good hearts. I'm hoping that by exposing them to a beautiful educated professional woman like you that I can change their minds." Anne had to laugh, "You're laying it on a bit thick, Josh." He smiled, "Too much, huh? Okay, I'll just say I'm sorry. This wasn't a great idea. I just wanted to spend time with you and I guess I thought if I trapped you on a boat for a few hours, I could make a good impression."

Josh's boyish charm and good looks made it hard to be angry with him. She sighed, "Well, I suppose I can forgive you if you show me how to use this reel." He walked around behind her and reached his arms around to show her how to hold the rod and cast the line. With his warm breath in her ear and his hard body pressed against her back, she found it impossible to concentrate on anything he was saying. She turned to look back at him and found his mouth was only inches from hers and moving closer. Just as they were about to touch, Anne felt a tug on the fishing rod. She jerked her attention back around, "I think I have a fish! Oh my god, I actually caught a fish!" Josh showed her how to reel it in. She was sure it was something huge but it ended up only being a snapper that weighed a couple of pounds. Still, though, it had been exciting.

The rest of the trip was pretty uneventful. No one caught anything worth bragging about and a couple of the other girls got terribly seasick. It was a relief to finally get back on dry land and say goodbye to Josh's friends and their Barbie girls. As he was driving her back to the house, he apologized again, "I'm sorry again Anne. I know you had a miserable day. But one thing I'm not sorry about is getting to know you better and spending time with you. I feel like we have a real connection and that's not a pick up line. I felt it the first time I saw you. I want to see you again if you're not completely disgusted with me at this point." "You have got to stop apologizing, Josh. It's wasn't the greatest day I've ever had but I did enjoy spending time with you and hey, I caught my first fish," she assured him.

As they drove, she thought about what else he'd said. Did she feel a connection to him? Honestly, no. She had only ever felt that way about one man but that was a hopeless situation. She had to give herself a chance to find happiness again. As he pulled into the drive at the Elliot rental property, she turned to him, "I wanted to say that I'd like to see you again. I like you. I haven't really dated for a long time so I'd like to take this slow and we'll see what happens. Will that work for you?" Josh smiled broadly, "That will be perfect." He leaned across the seat to kiss her but she turned so that he only kissed her cheek. "Bye. I'll see you later," she told him as she stepped from the car. "I'll call you tomorrow," he yelled as he drove off.


	5. Chapter 5

The next couple of days were busy. Mr. Walter had all sorts of errands that she had to do in order for him to be prepared for his award and he insisted on his daughters' audience whenever he rehearsed his acceptance speech. Anne was pretty sure it would be the longest acceptance speech in history if someone didn't so some major editing so she prompted Aunt Lydia to get involved. Somehow, in the midst of all the crazy, Josh always seemed to pop up whenever he was needed. He's show up with a sandwich or offer to drive her wherever she needed to go. He was still being a perfect gentleman but his kindness and, let's face it, his hotness, were definitely beginning to weaken her resistance. It was getting easier to imagine giving in to his advances.

One early afternoon as they were driving through the little downtown area, Anne glanced out the window and caught a glimpse of someone who looked exactly like Freddie Wentworth. She turned around in her seat trying to see behind her as they passed. Josh asked, "What's wrong?" Anne's pulse was drumming so loudly in her ears, she could barely discern his words, "Nothing, I just thought I saw someone I know." It couldn't be him, she thought to herself. Would his memory haunt her forever? Would it always hurt to see someone who looked like him pass her on the street? She tried to listen to Josh talking about his business and his plans but her mind was elsewhere. It really had looked like Freddie.

Josh dropped her off back at the house. He asked to take her to dinner but she told him she was tired. She really just wanted some time alone. Things with Josh were going so fast. He seemed to want to spend every second with her. It was flattering but a little bit suffocating at times, and yet he was always so polite and so gracious about whatever she asked him to do. She couldn't find fault with him in any way but something just wouldn't let her drop her guard completely, at least not yet.

Elizabeth was waiting when Anne arrived back home. "I don't know what is going on but you've managed to completely monopolize Josh's time the past few days. My friend, Carol, told me she's seen you two everywhere together. How he can even pretend to prefer you is beyond comprehension but I want it to stop right now. I saw him first, Anne. You need to tell him that you don't want to see him anymore." Anne would normally have simply ignored her older sister's ranting but she had taken enough, "I think you should probably ask Josh why it is that he prefers me and as far as not seeing him anymore, that is none of your concern. My life is not yours to arrange, not anymore." With the bitter taste of those words still in her mouth, she turned and stormed from the house. There were a couple of bicycles parked under the porch and she grabbed one. She headed down the road still stinging from her sister's unkind words.

She rode the bike the few miles into town. It was late afternoon. Anne had nowhere to go so she headed into the local tavern. A glass of wine would help settle her nerves. Besides, it looked like it might rain any moment so she could wait out the weather inside the bar. There weren't many people inside yet. The place would no doubt be bustling later in the evening but at the moment she had one whole end of the bar to herself. The bartender was a woman, probably in her early 40's. She introduced herself to Anne, "My name's Sybil Smith. Are you vacationing here?" Anne smiled cynically, "No, not exactly." She went on to tell Ms. Smith about her family and her father's award.

"Oh, you're one of the Elliots," Sybil exclaimed. "I've heard a bit about your family from some of the locals who have been doing work for your father." "Please offer them my deepest apologies," Anne joked, "I'm sure they all had horror stories to tell about the overbearing Mr. Elliot." Sybil laughed along with her, "Well, I'll admit, they weren't nominating him for employer of the year." The two women continued their conversation. Sybil Smith had lived on Tybee her whole life and worked at the tavern for the last 10 years. She knew pretty much everyone and every thing that went on in that little piece of paradise. Anne was amazed to hear some of the stories about what went on with all the wealthy families who owned vacation homes on the island.

Anne finished her wine. It was still raining outside but slacking up. She promised Sybil that she'd be back for more gossip and good wine on another afternoon but figured she'd better start back home. She was just about to push open the door when someone pulled from outside. She found herself standing face to face with Frederick Wentworth. For a moment, neither of them moved nor spoke. Finally Anne managed to stammer, "Fred, you're in Tybee." It sounded completely stupid but she couldn't think of anything else. He seemed as uncomfortable as she felt but he smiled, "Yes, yes I am. And, you are as well." They probably sounded like two complete fools to anyone listening.

"So, what brings you to the island?" she shyly inquired. He inched further in the door until he was only a foot away from her, "Just some downtime. I, I suppose you heard about Louisa Musgrove, about her engagement, I mean." She felt like her entire being was vibrating just from having him stand so close. She nodded, "Yes, that was most surprising. I didn't think that she favored Mr. Harville at all but I guess it's as they say, the heart wants what the heart wants." He looked directly into her eyes then, "Yes, it does." They both looked away quickly. "And, how is your family Anne?" he finally asked awkwardly. "They're well, thank you. My father is getting an award from the historical society in a few days," she informed him. "Yes, I think I heard something about that. I had planned on attending the ceremony," he replied. Anne's heart leapt at the thought that he would be at the cotillion. "There's also a concert tomorrow night in the old bandstand near the public beach. It's a local string quartet but I hear they're very good. I remember how much you like music. Perhaps you will be attending that as well?" she asked hopefully. He looked at her, a questioning expression on his face, "I..well, yes I might enjoy that. Yes, I believe I will go."

She couldn't take her eyes off his face. He seemed more like the Freddie she remembered from nine years ago than he had at any time in the last few months. He wasn't as reserved towards her. His manner was open, courteous, interested. It gave her hope, a tiny, tiny spark of hope. "I'll be attending with my family, so I hope I'll see you there," she told him. Another couple were coming in the door behind him so they had to step aside. "Were you heading out?" he asked, "It's raining awfully hard." He held up a black umbrella, "You see I've come prepared for the daily afternoon shower in Tybee." She smiled, "Yes, I see. Unfortunately I rode my bike into town so I'm afraid an umbrella won't help me very much." He looked concerned, "Well, I could…"

Before he could finish his sentence, Josh walked in behind him. "Anne Elliott, just the person I was looking for. Your aunt told me that you'd ridden your bike to town and I figured you'd need a ride since it seems the monsoon has arrived out there today." Anne wanted to scream at him, tell him to turn around and go back the way he'd come. If only he would have waited a minute more. What had Fred been about to say? Would he have offered to drive her? That's what it had sounded like he was about to say. Now he was simply staring at the man who had interrupted them.

"Joshua Marsh, this is Frederick Wentworth, and Freddie, this is Joshua Marsh," Anne introduced them. She had no choice really. They went through the pleasantries of shaking hands and nice-to-meet-you's. Then Josh reached and took her hand, "So, Anne, shall we go?" She could feel her face flushing as she glanced up at Fred. He looked shocked. She didn't know what to say. She couldn't turn Josh down in the hope that Fred would offer, "Yes, I guess so. It was really nice bumping into you Freddie. I hope that I'll see you again while you're here." He just nodded and turned to walk into the bar.

Anne followed Josh out to his car. It was pouring so she was glad for the ride. "How did you know where I was?" she asked him. "I told you that your aunt told me. I called to invite you to the concert tomorrow night and she said you'd ridden your bike to town. I couldn't leave you stranded in this rain storm," he explained. She couldn't be mad. He was thinking of her and being kind and generous as always but why was it so frustrating? She didn't have much to say after that. They rode in silence.

They pulled into the drive at the beach house and Josh put his hand on her arm, "Anne, wait. Are you angry with me or something? What's wrong?" She knew she was being unfair to him. She just couldn't help how she felt, "No, I'm not angry, Josh. Freddie is an old friend of mine. It just brought back a lot of memories. That's all." Josh leaned in and cupped his hand to her cheek, "I don't know what happened with him but I promise you that I won't hurt you, Anne. I really care about you and I want this between us to be something special." Anne looked up at him. What was wrong with her? She had a beautiful man sitting in front of her, telling her exactly what she had always wanted to hear but she couldn't reciprocate. Was her heart just too broken to recover? Something about him just didn't feel right. Maybe no one except Freddie ever would. Should she just give up and accept what Josh offered her? She didn't know if she could. "I know how you feel, Josh. I just can't promise anything, not now." His hand dropped from her cheek and he turned away. "Okay, I guess I'll see you tomorrow then," she could hear the dejection in his voice. She simply said, "Goodnight, Josh," and stepped out of the car.

She watched as he drove away.

That night she found it hard to fall asleep. She kept replaying the conversation she had with Freddie. She had dared to let a tiny glimmer of hope start to ignite. If only he could forgive her. She remembered how much in sync they had been all those years ago, how just a look could kindle a flame in her that could only be controlled by his kisses and his body. It was suddenly feeling very stuffy in the bedroom so he walked out onto the balcony. The moon was shining full and heavy over the darkened water. She whispered a wish to the millions of stars, "Please bring him back to me." She realized that she was probably being completely foolish but couldn't hold it all behind the wall she'd built any longer. She still wanted Frederick Wentworth, indeed, still loved him so very much.

Anne ended up getting only a few hours of sleep. She was grumpy and tired and the next morning. Elizabeth, Mr. Walter and Lydia had actually all risen early and were breakfasting when she came down. She almost turned around and went straight back upstairs but realized it would do no good to run away. Her father started in before she could even take a sip of coffee, "Elizabeth tells me you've been monopolizing Mr. Marsh's time for the past few days. I must say that I'm disappointed. You know that he and Elizabeth were seeing each other for a few days. Can you explain yourself?" he asked. Anne was too tired to play any more games with her father or Elizabeth, "I can't explain myself. Joshua Marsh asked me out. If he prefers going out with me rather than Elizabeth, then you should ask him to explain. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a lot of things to do today." She got up and left the table, ignoring the protestations of her father. She glanced back to see that Aunt Lydia wore a somewhat bemused but appreciative look.

Mary and Charles arrived in the afternoon. Mary, of course, had developed a terrible migraine during the drive and had to go directly to bed. She tried every trick to get Anne to come and sit with her but Anne would not be persuaded this time. She told Mary to get some rest and headed out to do her errands.

She only had to get through two more days. Then the cotillion would be over and she could leave Tybee and her family to return to her apartment. She could survive for two days especially with the hope that she would see Freddie again tonight. She actually went shopping during the day and bought a new dress for the concert. She wanted to feel pretty and be confident if he really did show up tonight. It would be hard to hide her hope and her fear from the man who had known her so well but whatever the cost, she didn't want to let go of what was undoubtedly her last chance.

Josh had arrived to pick her up and ended up riding with the entire family at her father's insistence. Elizabeth tried to win Josh's interest but while he was polite, he made it clear he was interested in only one Elliot sister. The concert that night was at an outdoor bandstand near the beach. The Historical Society had strung tiny white lights in all the trees and shrubbery and luminaries lined the paths. It was a beautiful and completely romantic setting. Immediately upon arriving she began scanning the crowd for the one face that she had wished to see. Finally she caught a glimpse of him on the other side of the bandstand. He was standing with the Bennetts and Musgroves. She hadn't even known that they were in town. Of course, her father had probably invited Mary who had whined enough to persuade Mr. and Mrs. Musgrove to attend, but what were the Bennetts doing here? She started across the small lawn area to say hello but her father grabbed her arm, "Where are you going? The president of the Historical Society is on her way over. We must speak with her and be gracious." Anne jerked her arm away, "I have no interest in meeting the woman. Now, if you'll excuse me, I see some friends I'd like to speak to." She could hear her father muttering, "Impertinent, ungrateful girl," behind her but she wouldn't allow anything to bother her tonight. Frederick was here. She felt that she could float to him with little effort.

Freddie saw her coming and smiled. He was breathtakingly handsome in a light charcoal blazer and blue shirt open at the collar. The color made his eyes seem even bluer. He had a small scruff of beard forming which made Anne want to rub her hand across his cheek. Instead she settled for, "Hello, Fred, I'm so glad you could make it." He seemed nervous as well, "Yes, it's a beautiful night. I've heard the quartet is good and the wine is excellent." They both laughed, "Well, I'll definitely have to try some." The Musgroves and Bennetts noticed that Anne had joined their company and came over to greet her. She talked to them and tried to act interested but her attention never left Freddie. Even when she wasn't looking at him, she could feel his presence like a hum in the air. It was intoxicating.

The Musgroves told her that Mary had insisted they come for the concert and cotillion and that Henna had tagged along. She was off somewhere with a friend at the moment. Louisa had stayed behind in Savannah, being unable to be parted from Jack Harville.

The Bennetts admitted that they had tagged along for a short break, leaving their daughter with her grandparents. It was a lovely, happy company and Anne hoped to spend most of the evening with that group. Her revelry was interrupted by Josh who walked up behind her as she was talking with Alaina Bennett.

He leaned in very close and whispered in her ear, "I've been looking for you everywhere." Anne was a bit embarrassed but turned and introduced him to everyone else, "This is Joshua Marsh. He's a distant relative from Savannah that I've just met." She went on to introduce everyone else to Josh. Freddie stood stone faced as the introductions were made. He stuck out his hand to shake Josh's but had nothing to say.

Josh gave her his most charming smile and took her hand, "I've saved a seat for you and the concert is about to start. Please excuse us everyone. I hope to see you all later," and he pulled her away with him back to the other side of the bandstand where he father sat glowering his disapproval of her behavior.

Josh didn't release her hand until they sat down and then he draped an arm around her shoulders and leaned in whispering to her about the musical selections. She could see Freddie standing at the back of the crowd just across the lawn from her, staring directly at the two of them. She wanted to tell Josh to leave her alone and run to him. She wanted to scream that nothing was going on with Josh. All that she could do at that moment was try and be polite to Josh and hope that her feelings for Freddie were being conveyed in the looks she returned. The music began. It was deep and soulful classical jazz that seemed to be resounding from within her own heart. She was trying to concentrate on what Josh was saying but could focus only on Freddie.

She saw the exact moment that he decided he'd had enough. He turned from the bandstand and began to walk away towards where the cars were parked. Josh was still talking, whispering into her ear, something about the music and how beautiful she looked but none of it mattered. She had to get to Freddie. She had to speak to him. If he walked away now, she'd never see him again.

She stood and Josh tried to hold her back, "What's wrong, Anne? Where are you going?" She knew she was making a spectacle of herself but didn't care. She pulled roughly from his hand, "Let me go, Josh." She ran across the grass trying to catch Freddie before he got into his car. When she was near enough, she called his name, "Freddie, are.. are you leaving?" She was a bit out of breath. He looked up at her, "Yes, I'm a bit tired this evening. Please excuse me." He turned away again and was almost to his car door.

"Wait, Freddie! The quartet is supposed to be really good. I'm sure you'd enjoy the music if you stayed and there's lots more of the wine you were enjoying. I had hoped we could have a drink together at intermission. Won't you stay?" she was nearly begging.

He looked up at her again, like he was staring into her soul, "I'm sorry Anne. I thought…" Josh ran up behind her and interrupted their conversation again. "Good grief, Anne! What is wrong with you this evening? You had us all worried that you were sick," he put his arm around her waist as he spoke. Anne shrugged him off, "Really, Josh, I'm fine. Excuse me, but Freddie and I were speaking." She could tell she'd hurt his feelings but he had been much too clingy all night, like he was trying to show off that he was her boyfriend. When she looked back to Fred, she could see the anger building, "I'm afraid that I must leave after all. There really is nothing here that holds my interest this evening. Good night, Anne, Josh." He got into his car and drove away.

Anne felt like she'd been slapped. Once again, she had blown a chance to make things right. She didn't know if she could hold back the tears but didn't want Josh to see her cry. He pulled her into his arms without protest and began stroking her hair, "Anne, I know that the two of you have a history. I hope one day you'll tell me about it, but he isn't good for you. He hurts you every time you see him. I would never do that. I know you don't want to hear it but I love you." Suddenly, Anne was furious with him, "I've known you for a total of what, five days. How can you say something like that? What just happened here is your fault. I needed to speak with him. You just won't leave it alone. I've told you that I'm not ready for anything serious." She was nearly sobbing now, "Just leave me alone, Josh. Please just leave me alone." She walked away from him, not knowing where she was headed. He stood behind her and never said a word.

Anne walked for a long while until she could hold the tears in once again. She didn't want anyone else to see her crying. Somehow, she ended up back at the tavern in town. A glass of wine would help settle her nerves and maybe Sybil would be working. She walked in. The place was pretty busy with couples and families eating or waiting for their food at tables throughout the restaurant. The bar was packed with a younger crowd. She wasn't surprised to see that Henna and a friend were dancing with a couple of local boys. She sat down at the bar, glad to see that Sybil was bartending. She ordered her wine.

Henna finally saw her and ran over to say hello. She introduced her friend from college. Anne told her that she was just getting away from the family for a bit and Henna understood. She was soon off to continue dancing with her new friends.

Sybil came back with a glass of white wine and asked Anne how things were going.

Anne started to tear up again but took a large swig of the wine and managed to hold it in, "Things are, well, pretty lousy and confused right now, I'm sorry to say." Sybil did the bartender commiserative headshake. Anne took another sip of wine. "What's going on, if you want to talk about it?" she asked Anne. "God, it would take too long to explain but just men in general. I feel like I'll never get things right," she explained to Sybil. The bartender asked, "I hope you don't think I'm being nosey but is it about the guy who came in here the other day? That Josh something or other."

Anne was surprised. How had Sybil known his name? "Well, sort of, but not really. I mean he's part of the problem but we're not involved. He wants us to be, but I just…, well honestly I'm interested in someone else," Anne admitted. Sybil nodded, "The first guy that you ran into the other day, good looking with baby blue eyes." Anne was amazed, "Are you a bartender or a mind reader?" Sybil laughed, "It's all kind of the same thing, especially after you've done it for as long as I have."

Anne ordered another glass of wine and they talked some more. She could tell Sybil wanted to say something but kept putting it off. Finally, she said, "Look, there's something I need to tell you. It's none of my business but I don't know if I'll see you again for a while and I wouldn't feel right if I didn't let you know." Anne was intrigued, "Okay, shoot. If you're out of line, I'll tell you." Sybil sighed, "I was hoping you'd feel that way. The thing is that guy, Josh, he comes around here every summer. When any of the wealthy families are here with their eligible daughters, he's Mr. Charming, all polite and well bred. But, when all the "society people" leave, he goes after any girl that he can con into his bed or the back seat of his car. He conned one of the waitresses from the restaurant out of her savings to invest in his family business. She never got a penny back, but he promised her he was in love with her and wanted to marry her so she never filed any charges. Of course, in a few months, he was back here walking around town with an 18 year old girl whose Daddy owns Gulf States Petroleum. The word among the locals now is that he thinks he has bagged the daughter of Mr. Walter Elliot of the Savannah Elliots. I hope this isn't upsetting you even more but I just thought you needed to know."

Anne sat open mouthed in astonishment. She had always felt there was something about him that seemed just a little too charming and amenable. And he was trying to rush into a relationship after only a day or two. It all added up. Sybil stared for a second before asking, "You okay?" Anne answered, "Yes, fine. I'm surprised I guess but I promise you that he hasn't "bagged" me. I don't even know what to say." Sybil took her incredulousness as disbelief. She looked across the bar, "Look, there goes the waitress who hooked up with him a few years ago. Ask her about him. She must be taking a smoke break." Anne could only see a small woman with blonde hair exiting the restaurant, "I believe you but I would like to talk to her." She got up and followed the blonde out.

The woman had walked around the corner and Anne wasn't far behind. As she turned the corner, she could see the woman facing her but there was a man standing in front of her. The funny thing was that the woman looked exactly like one of the Barbie triplets from the fishing charter and the guy was definitely Josh. She could hear him talking, "Look, babe, I'm so sorry I haven't been to see you but I'm trying to set things up for us. You know I love you. I just have to keep playing these people a while longer. So, do you have the money for me?" She could barely hear the woman's response but it sounded like she said it was the last time as she handed him a roll of bills, probably all her tips for the past month. He leaned in and gave the woman a long lingering kiss and said, "Thank you, baby. You saved me again. I'm going to repay you once I get this all set up. I'll buy you a condo and a new car. It's going to be just like I always said." Anne had heard enough.

She turned around and headed back into the bar. Sybil was waiting. "I didn't talk to her. I didn't have to. Just promise me that you won't say anything to her about this. I'm going to talk to Mr. Marsh myself," Anne said. Sybil agreed to keep it quiet. Anne had a third glass of wine and called a taxi to take her back to the beach house. She had a lot to think about but at least now she had all the facts.

Anne had yet another long and mostly sleepless night. She skipped breakfast entirely, opting to take the bike to a coffee shop downtown. She couldn't deal with her father or Elizabeth today. The morning ride left her feeling famished so she ordered a pancake platter and coffee. The coffee had just arrived when a crowd of people all arrived at once. It was the Bennetts, the Musgroves and Frederick. It seemed that they had the same idea as she had. It was awkward seeing Freddie again so soon after last night but with the Musgroves and Bennetts acting as buffers, it soon got easier. He sat as far from her as possible.

There was much joking and laughing as there always was with this group. Anne thoroughly enjoyed any time that she spent with them. After eating, the Musgroves decided to do a bit of shopping. Henna had spotted a dress she wanted to wear to the cotillion instead of the old one she had brought (old meaning it had been worn once before). That left only the Bennetts and Freddie in the shop with her. It was so much quieter after their departure. Alaina excused herself to make a call to her parents and check on the baby. Bennett himself stayed seated, drinking his coffee and staring out the window.

Anne noticed that he appeared deep in thought. She asked, "What is troubling you on such a beautiful morning?" Bennett smiled at her, "You'll think me too soft if I tell you." She promised him not to judge at all. "Well," he replied, "I was thinking about Harville." He pulled out a photo and handed it to Anne. It was Harville and a young woman with long dark hair and a kind smile. She was a beauty and the couple looked so happy. "That's my sister with Harville about 6 months before she died. They were a couple meant for each other, so in sync. I just worry that he is making a rash decision. Don't get me wrong. Louisa is a wonderful girl. She's sweet and funny and I know that they care for each other. I just think that he can't have gotten over my sister so soon and he's marrying Louisa just to fill an empty space."

Anne understood completely. She had thought the very same thing when she'd heard of the match. "I know. It's hard to believe that theirs will be a true marriage that will last forever," she agreed. Bennett continued, "Men like Harville don't get over a love like he had with Abigail. Women seem to be able to go on with their lives after a loss so much more easily than men. Men sit and worry and wait for much too long." Anne couldn't agree with such an assessment, "I don't think you know as much as you believe about women. If a woman has been truly, deeply in love, she doesn't forget or go on with her life and forget. She may have to find things to occupy her mind to keep from becoming too depressed but she does not forget. I believe that men are the ones who forget and move on more quickly. As you say, a pretty face turns their head and their heart moves on."

Bennett was enjoying their debate, "Perhaps we can be distracted more easily but if you knew how it felt for a man to be apart from those he really loves and want to be reunited so desperately that he counts the hours and minutes until they can see each other again. It is something that cannot be described. Do you understand what I mean?" Anne nodded, "I believe I do. A woman who has lost a true love knows exactly that feeling, a mixture of hope, expectation, despair and fear. Always wishing that a second chance would present itself but being so afraid of losing and never having that feeling again is kind of like a small death every day. I don't know if a man would continue to hope in the face of such odds." Bennett reached over and put his hand over Anne's, "Let's just agree that it is not man or woman who solely owns the trait of most loyal. Let's just say it is a trait shared by those who have known true love, whether man or woman, and leave it at that." Anne couldn't argue.

Alaina returned with the good news that all was well with her parents and the baby. She and Bennett said their goodbyes and headed out. Frederick left with them without saying a word. Anne sat sipping her last cup of coffee. Within a couple of moments, Fred returned. He walked straight to Anne and sat down opposite her. She was confused, "Did you forget something?" He stammered for a moment, "I, well I, um, I need for you to check your email as soon as you get back to the beach house today. There's something important about the film shoot at the house that I need to have cleared. So please check your email." He didn't wait for a response but simply turned and left hurriedly. Odd, she thought, but he was always tense and nervous with her. She finished her coffee and reluctantly headed back to the beach house.

With the cotillion set for tonight, the house was a flurry of activity. Elizabeth, Mary and her father had hair, nail and makeup appointments (her father wasn't getting makeup, only a spray tan). Due to his nerves, her father was ordering around the staff like General Patton. It was going to be a long day. In fact, Anne was so busy she forgot about reading the email until a couple of hours later. She finally sat down, turned on her laptop and found the email from Fred.

She opened it expecting to read something about studio business but it began, My Dearest Anne. Her heart leapt. She continued to read, "As I listened to you and Bennett talking this morning, I have allowed a small spark of hope to be born in my heart, a hope that you still care for me. I have been a fool since I first arrived in Savannah. I let my stubborn pride rule my actions which almost resulted in tragedy. I knew from the moment I saw you that my feelings had not changed. I love you. I have never loved anyone but you. I don't know if you still feel the same. If you do, all I ask is that you save the first dance at the cotillion for me. If you ask me to dance with you, I'll know that I haven't lost you forever. If, however, you don't, I will leave with no ill will towards you or your family. Whatever you choose, please know that my heart is now and has always been yours. All my love, Freddie."

Anne's heart was beating so hard she could barely breathe. Tears of joy streamed down her face. He loved her. He wanted her back. Her life could be complete again. It was all she'd wanted. She looked at the clock. There were still 6 hours left before the cotillion. How could she make the time pass more quickly? She had to wait 6 more hours for her life to begin again.

Mr. Walter called her into the living room for a talk a couple of hours before the cotillion. Aunt Lydia, it seemed, had been discussing Josh with him for the past few days. "Anne," he began, "I don't approve of the way you've been behaving lately but your aunt believes that you really care for Mr. Marsh. If that's the case and he cares for you, I will approve of the match. He is from a fine family. He is going to be at the cotillion tonight and asked me if he might have the first dance with you when I spoke to him in town earlier. I gave my blessing." Anne was trying desperately to keep from laughing. She wanted to tell him all about Mr. Marsh, the con artist, philanderer, jerk but he'd never believe her. She simply bit her tongue and said, "Yes, father."

Anne's family had controlled her life for too long. She had acquiesced to their demands because it was easier than fighting them. As a result, she'd ended up miserable and alone. She wouldn't allow anything to stop her this time. She was finally beyond their persuasion. She thought of what their reactions would be when she refused Josh at the dance and went to Fred instead. They would be shocked and most likely angry but it didn't matter.

Anne carefully did her hair and makeup. She removed the magical dress from its bag and slipped it on. When she looked at herself in the big mirror in her room, it still looked like it had been made for her. She slipped on her heels and headed down the stairs to meet her family. Her father, Aunt Lydia, Elizabeth, Mary and Charlie were all waiting. All that she could hear as she descended the stairs was an audible gasp. Aunt Lydia said, "Anne, you look so beautiful." She thanked her but no one else had anything to say.

They all loaded into a limo for the ride to the event. Her father kept adjusting his tie and his hair. Elizabeth had to tell him to stop fidgeting. Anne sat and smiled serenely. Nothing could upset her tonight. Charlie leaned over and asked her, "What's up Annie? You're awfully quiet." Anne just shrugged, "Just happy, Charlie. That's all." Charlie assumed her happiness was due to the Joshua Marsh situation as did everyone else. She let them believe it.

They arrived at the entrance and were greeted at the door by the president of the Historical Society who was every bit as proud and pompous as Mr. Walter. She escorted them in and had them announced. First her father and Elizabeth, "Mr. Walter Elliot and Miss Elizabeth Elliot of Savannah. Then Mary and Charlie, "Mr. and Mrs. Charles Musgrove of Savannah. Finally, Anne herself, "Miss Anne Elliot of Atlanta." She could see Freddie waiting near the bottom of the staircase. If there was anyone else in the room she didn't notice.

She stepped carefully down each stair. When she reached the bottom, she felt a hand on her waist. She looked up to see Joshua Marsh at her side. She quickly looked toward Fred and saw that he seemed concerned. She quickly turned to Josh and whispered, "Either get your hands off me immediately or I'll announce to the rest of the room how much money you've swindled from the waitress at the Tavern." Josh quickly removed his hand and stepped away. She turned back toward Fred and continued her walk. Finally, she reached him. She curtsied perfectly and said, "Mr. Wentworth, I would be honored if you would accept me as your dance partner for the first dance." Fred took her hand and pulled her close, "Ms. Elliot, I would be delighted."

To the dismay of her father and Aunt Lydia, they did dance together. It was the most perfect moment she could remember. After one dance, they left the cotillion. He walked with her down to the beach, pulled her close and kissed her very softly in the moonlight. She was sure her feet were no longer touching the ground. He started to explain, "Anne I'm so sorry for the way I've treated you. It's inexcusable. You didn't deserve it. The way I acted with Louisa was disgraceful." She rubbed her hand along his cheek just the way she had imagined the night before, "It doesn't matter now. We've both been foolish. We've hurt each other but it's in the past now. We're starting over." Tears started to overflow. She couldn't contain them. He bent down and kissed them away. Soon their lips met and the passion that had always been there between them ignited once again. He asked her to come to LA with him. She agreed without hesitation. She could teach anywhere so her profession was portable. It didn't matter if they were in Los Angeles or half way around the world as long as they were together.

Frederick Wentworth had always been her destiny and she was his. Together they would brave whatever storms life would throw at them including any meddling from her family. No one would ever keep them apart again.


End file.
